July 26, 2016 edition
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July 19, 2016 edition
July 12, 2016 edition
The amended 2016 state budget and the law on tax amnesty were passed by the House of Representatives (DPR) on June 28. Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the tax amnesty was the government's attempt to cover the 2.48 percent deficit in the budget. The global economic crisis has caused state revenues to decline, including those from taxes. In response, the government decided to slash the budget by Rp50 trillion.
"Then there's the tax amnesty to add to revenues," said Kalla. He hesitated to say whether he was optimistic or pessimistic on the results of the tax amnesty, which is expected to add some Rp165 trillion to the current budget. If the attempt fails and the deficit reaches 3 percent, the government, said Kalla, will discuss the problem with the DPR, given that the law on state finances regulates that the deficit should not be more than 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). "So, there are only two solutions: reduce spending or raise the deficit," said 74-year-old Kalla.
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July 5, 2016 edition
Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan has issued specific instructions to public transportation companies and departments for the Lebaran holidays. He has ordered that all safety features of all modes of transportation-buses, trains, ships and airlines-be strictly and carefully checked. "I don't want to take any risks with safety," he said.
He said vehicles that fail to meet the safety criteria will be prohibited from operating during the Lebaran exodus that will carry people back to their hometowns and villages. Jonan, 53, said he was dead serious about all public transportation complying with regulations involving passenger safety. "In this sector, there's the principle of 'No Go Item', meaning if one item is malfunctioning, well, it will not go," said Jonan, who was previously CEO of the state-owned railway company, Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI).
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June 28, 2016 edition
With the end of Ramadan fast approaching, Bambang Brodjonegoro's busy schedule has just begun. His days are filled with one ministerial meeting after another. He must also keep monitoring two legislative bills currently being discussed by the House of Representatives (DPR) to ensure that they are passed by the end of the month as scheduled. One bill concerns the revised state budget (RAPBN-P) and the other is on the tax amnesty.
The revised state budget will be slashed by Rp90 trillion to account for declining revenues. Another way of addressing the shortfall is through tax amnesty, which is expected to bring additional revenues of up to Rp165 trillion. Bambang sincerely hopes the DPR will enact the two legislations. "The government's program, including the revised state budget, should be backed by the parties claiming to support the government," said Bambang.
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June 21, 2016 edition
Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian was recently nominated as the sole candidate for the position of National Police chief. Last week, President Joko Widodo submitted Tito's name to the House of Representatives (DPR) as a replacement to the incumbent police chief, Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who will retire next month.
Tito admits he could not refuse the President's order, although there are quite a few other more senior officers who qualify for the post. In fact, Tito, a 1987 graduate of the Military Academy, will leapfrog four other higher-ranking generals. "This is the President's choice and that's an order," Tito said during his visit to the Tempo office last Friday.
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June 14, 2016 edition