The government has established a Special Task Force for the Optimization of State Revenue to monitor and improve the effectiveness of national income collection. Dr. Eddy Junarsin, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), views the formation of this task force as a reasonable and positive step.
However, he emphasized that its effectiveness and efficiency would largely depend on a clear mandate and strong, well-coordinated interagency collaboration.
According to Dr. Junarsin, efforts by the state to optimize revenue and streamline expenditures are not uncommon. They are necessary in many countries, whether developed or developing.
“It is only natural for a country to establish various institutions to oversee public finances. In practice, cross-agency collaboration, including with law enforcement, is also common. For example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States can coordinate with the FBI, Department of Justice, or even the CIA when needed,” he explained on Friday (Jul. 11).
However, Dr. Junarsin emphasized that the core challenge of the task force lies not in establishing a new institution, but in how it is implemented and the risk of overlapping authority on the ground.
“For instance, does the existence of a task force imply a transfer of function from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) or the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK)? How will it coordinate with the police in overseeing specific sectors such as agriculture and maritime affairs? These are the things that need to be clearly explained,” he said.
He further noted that simplifying the tax system and reducing tax burdens have become a key focus for many countries, especially amid today’s volatile global economic conditions.
Dr. Junarsin noted that numerous countries are now moving toward simplifying their tax systems to foster business sector development.
“If entrepreneurs continue to grow and succeed, the multiplier effect for the state will be significant. Government tax revenues can increase, and the tax ratio will likely improve. So, the focus should be on building a healthy economic ecosystem rather than expanding bureaucracy,” he asserted.
In response to a statement by Executive Director of Segara Research Institute, Piter Abdullah, who said that the task force was created to follow up on legal cases related to state revenue, such as corruption and abuse of power, Dr. Junarsin emphasized that cooperation among government and law enforcement agencies must still adhere to the principles of efficiency and fairness.
“All institutions, including the task force, can and should support one another. But the principle must always be efficiency, legal certainty, and the protection of a healthy business climate. The net regulatory effect should be positive. We must avoid a situation where the task force instead adds to the bureaucratic burden for the public and business actors,” he added.
Dr. Junarsin also recommended that oversight of state revenue be conducted within a framework of efficiency, accountability, and apparent professionalism.
The government, he said, must align the roles of all institutions and ensure that this initiative does not simply create a new bureaucratic layer, but truly adds value in efforts to enhance state revenue and plug financial leakages.
Author: Lintang Andwyna
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Anisa Nurliana
Illustration: Freepik