Thousands of taxpayers file last-minute returns

As expected, a large number of registered taxpayers flocked to their nearest tax offices to submit their tax returns (SPTs), right up to the March 31 deadline.
The Jakarta Gambir Two tax office recorded that about 2,000 taxpayers submitted their tax returns on Tuesday, said the office’s daily coordinator Ahmad Tirto Nugroho.
The Jakarta Gambir Three tax office had received about 11,000 tax returns in March, most of which were for taxpayers working nearby.
“Individual taxpayers, as expected, rushed to tax offices right up to the deadline. We have received more than 1,000 taxpayers in the past four days,” said Tirto.
The directorate general of taxation had designed new measures to help taxpayers by allowing them to submit their tax returns anywhere, including through “drop boxes” placed at strategic places, including office buildings and malls.
These measures were adopted due to the huge jump in registered taxpayers, from 6 million at the end of 2007 to 12.7 million by the end of February, following the successful government campaign for more people to obtain a current tax file number (NPWP).
Last year, individual income tax accounted for 23 percent of tax revenue, while corporate income tax accounted for 77 percent.
Felix Wimono, a newly registered taxpayer, welcomed the new measures, saying submitting tax forms in a mall was “great” as he did not have to spend time at the tax office. “I did not want to queue in a tax office in Depok, where I live,” he said.
But even those queueing in tax offices did not take much time. Tirto said taxpayers spent less than five minutes on average to hand in their tax returns to tax officials.
Taxpayer Nurudin, remarked at the absence of crowds at the Jakarta Tanah Abang Satu tax office where he gave in his tax returns.
“It only took me a couple of minutes to drop my tax return. I was surprised,” he said.
The Jakarta Tanah Abang Satu tax office saw about 1,700 tax returns submitted as of 3 p.m. Monday.
Yulita, the head of service division at the office, said once a tax return had been submitted, it would formally be accepted and considered valid.
“But if there is something wrong, we will notify taxpayers by phone,” she said. “Actually, many people were surprised because the process now is faster, but they find it satisfactory.” (fmb)


Sumber: thejakartapost.com; JAKARTA; Wed, 04/01/2009