Jakarta – PT Freeport Indonesia is the biggest corporate taxpayer while conglomerate Soedono Salim pays the most taxes as an individual, an official says here.
"PT Freeport Indonesia is the highest taxpayer due to the increase of its taxed profit as well as the better price of gold and copper," Director Genereal of Tax Affairs Fuad Bawazier said Sunday as he announced the 200 biggest taxpayers for 1995 fiscal year. He was accompanied by Finance Minister Mar'ie Muhammad.
Bawazier said the position of PT Freeport Indonesia is "startling many people since the mining company was the 53rd highest in fiscal year 1994."
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (PT Telkom) dropped to 2nd position after being the highest last year.
PT Telkom is followed consecutively by PT Indosat (previously the 2nd), PT HM Sampoerna (the same as 1994), Gudang Garam (previously the 3rd). Surprisingly, PT Indocement occupies the 6th place while it was not in the top 10 in 1994.
Meanwhile, conglomerate Soedono Salim replaces Putera Sampoerna as the biggest individual taxpayer. Sampoerna only occupied the 11th position this fiscal year.
Among the names who occupied the big ten are Eka Tjipta Widjaja (2nd), Anthoni Salim (8th), Prajogo Pangestu (9th) and Bambang Trihatmodjo (10th). Hutomo Mandala Putra occupied the 13th position while conglomerate entrepreneur Sudwikatmono was the 14th highest.
Bawazier said the 20 biggest taxpayers contributed approximately Rp 67.484 billion of the total Rp 7.274 trillion or about 1% of the total 1.2 million national taxpayers.
The 200 biggest taxpayers contributed approximately Rp 194.889 billion or about 2.7% of total national taxpayers. This amount is less than the previous year which was 3.3%.
Nevertheless, Bawazier said the absolute number of taxpayers increased due to the increase of individual taxpayers.
On the other hand, the 20 biggest corporate taxpayers contributed approximately Rp 2.215 trillion or about 16.7% of total tax revenues from national corporations, he added.
The 200 biggest corporations contributed more than Rp 4.8 trillion or about 36.7% of total tax revenues of national corporations. This amount is less than previous year which was 44.2%. Bawazier said it is a consequence of company share's selling activity.
Asked about the startling position of some famous names, Bawazier said that "it is in line with the data of annual tax reports submitted by taxpayers."
During the report, the directorate general of tax affairs often found some mistakes in turnover report as well as carrying out the regulation.
According to him, the changed position may also be caused by the unreported profit or the lack of deposit they paid to the government. Concerning the fraud, Bawazier said the government has the system to inspect it.
Self-assessment
Minister Muhammad said the announcement is a way to create transparency due to the assessment of taxpayers in fulfilling their responsibility.
"This is one of the best ways to push self-assessment ahead as the tax principle," he said to the press.
He said that the taxpayers cannot do as they like though the government facilitates them with self-assessment principle. The government has its own system to inspect the taxpayers, he added.