More businessmen, conglomerates join tax amnesty

JAKARTA. Four days ahead of the end of the first phase of tax amnesty, conglomerates are more active in joining tax amnesty.

For an examples, the owners of Sriwijaya Air Chandra Lie and Hendry Lie on Monday (26/9) has gone to tax office in Jakarta to register for participating in tax amnesty. Meanwhile, it is reported that the owner of Maspion Group Alim Markus will immediately register his participation in tax amnesty at tax office in Wast Java Province.

After registering his participation, Chandra Lie claimed that major businessmen are enthusiastic to join tax amnesty.

The enthusiasm reflected on a meeting in Menteng area, Central Jakarta on Friday (23/9). According to Chandra, who attended the meeting, during the meeting he was asked his opinion about tax amnesty. “I said that businessmen will suffer loses if they do not join the program”, Chandra said.

Aside of declaring his assets, Chandra added that he will repatriate his private and corporate assets. Chandra plans to repatriate the corporate assets on Tuesday (27/9) and allocate the assets to increase Sriwijaya Air’s capital work. “I will invest in purchasing new planes (for the company)”, he said

Chandra is one of the businessmen, who were invited by President Joko Widodo and Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani to join a meeting at Presidential Palace on Thursday (22/9). During the meeting, President Joko Widodo called businessmen to join tax amnesty.

Aside of Chandra, the businessmen who attended the meeting included Franky Welirang, Erwin Aksa, Rosan Roeslani, Sugianto Kusuma (Aguan), Prajogo Pangestu (Barito Pacific Group), Aburizal Bakrie, Surya Paloh (boss of Media Group and General Chairman of Nasdem Party), and Oesman Sapta Odang.

Numbers of members of Kadin (Indonesian Chamber of Trade and Industry) are also reported to declare their assets at the same time.

Previously, tax office has recorded the participation of number of businessmen in tax amnesty, including Hutomo Mandala Putra (the son of former President Soeharto), James Riady (Lippo Group), Sofjan Wanandi (Santini Group), Garibaldi Tohir (owner of mining company Adaro Energi), Erick Tohir (founder of Mahaka Group), as well as Murdaya Widyawimarta  Poo (the owner of PT Berca Indonesia).

Head of South Jakarta Regional Tax Office I Sakli Anggoro claimed that to date 200 of Indonesian richest have joined the program. However, Sakli refuse to specifiy the names “Some of them do not want to be exposed”, Sakli said.

Sakli also claimed that businessman Peter F. Gontha will join the program by the next three days. (Translator: Muhammad Farid)