YOGYAKARTA (KU) – Dean of Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Prof. Dr. Marwan Asri, M.B.A, supports the effort to change tax institution’s services to taxpayers in order to raise tax ratio as a source of state financing. It can start by changing the image of tax officials who are seen as "trouble seekers" to "friend of taxpayers." Another attempt is to change the view that paying tax is a burden, but it is their own will.
This was delivered by Marwan Asri when he was receiving a team from the Regional Office of Directorate General of Taxation (DGT Regional Office of Yogyakarta) who visited UGM on Wednesday (27/10). The visit led by the Head of DGT, Djangkung Sudjarwadi, is one of the DGT sympathetic actions carried out at all institutions in Yogyakara to celebrate tax socialization day on 28 October. The Head of DJP made use of the opportunity to get testimony from representatives of taxpayer institution on tax services.
Marwan said that taxation institutions must make changes internally and externally. One of internal changes is to change the stigmatization of tax officials. "It’s not easy because we are talking about stigma. The reality is when a tax officer comes, we see him as if the officer was looking for our problems, not as a friend who could make the tax as an obligation," he said.
Further improvement that needs to be done is to socialize persuasively to make taxpayers more aware of their obligations. Marwan also regretted because there are still taxpayers who are reluctant or avoid paying taxes so the tax ratio is still very low. "It is a big homework. We still have a very low tax ratio. In fact, the tax is an obligation, there is no doctrine and ethics which teaches that people can avoid the tax. The fact is that someone is even forced to have a Tax Identity Number," he added.
Changing behavior and attitudes of taxpayers, according to Marwan, is not easy. Therefore, he suggested that taxation institutions should improve themselves, taking comprehensive approach to taxpayers to make them more aware. He cited that in the U.S., tax officials, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), are more feared than the police. "Over there, people are more afraid if they are looked for by the IRS than by the police," he said.
In the one hour meeting, Djangkung Sudjarwadi said that this tax socialization will be simultaneously conducted at all institutional representatives in Yogyakarta. All inputs from the taxpayer representatives will be used for reference in policy making of national taxation.
To Marwan, Djangkung said that Yogyakarta Province has a great taxation achievement because it has the highest compliance on the delivery of Annual Tax Report in national level. "Two years in a row, Yogyakarta is the most obedient province in delivering Annual Tax Report nationally," he said.