Page 23 - Warta Bea Cukai Edisi Oktober 2018

MAIN REPORT

activities on certain goods, therefore to stabilize sounds. Controlling import activity can actually
current account deficit. Besides, the government decrease current account deficit, yet it also has
wants to bolster the use of domestic products another impact on stalling the economy growth.
as well as to protect domestic industry. Therefore, it needs thorough consideration
before taking this policy into implementation.
With the implementation of the policy, it is
expected domestic industry will grow and keep It also has another impact on higher cost
its competitiveness with foreign products. burdened to importers which eventually will
“With tariff increase of income tax on import be charged to the consumer in Indonesia. It
will provide chance for national industry to is known that there are four kinds of import
increase its product to fulfil the domestic tax tariffs which are imposed to the importers
market demand which previously imported,” namely, import duty, value added tax (VAT),
said Djanurindro. income tax on import, and sales tax on luxury
goods. Those taxes will be paid by the final
Meanwhile, in supporting the implementation consumer who buy the final products after its
of the policy as an effort to mitigate the volatility value added by taxes.
of global economic, Ministry of Finance will
improve and simplify the procedure tax and Therefore, this policy will significantly impact
customs administration. Synergy between the consumer who want to make a good use
DGCE and DGT is driven to improve service as of the import goods which are affected by this
well as the compliance which is to boost the new policy. Based on Indonesian Tariff Book
growth of national industry. One of the efforts (BTKI), many of the tariffs are still above 10%,
is to expedite restitution proceeding for the such as goods classified in section 8443 of post
stakeholders who have good credibility. tariff can reach up to 150%. Therefore, the
choice is on the consumer hand, whether to use
The policy of increasing income tax on import more expensive goods or use the similar goods
for controlling import volume is not the first produced by domestic market with cheaper
time issued by the government. The similar price. (Piter)
policies had been stipulated in 2013 and
2015. In 2013, the government stipulated
Minister of Finance Regulation number PMK
175/PMK.011/2013 in order to control import
volume after Taper Tantrum effect. During
that time, the government increased income
tax on import of 502 commodities from 2,5%
to 7,5%. Meanwhile in 2015, the government
had chosen to continue the previous policy by
increasing another 240 commodities from 7,5%
to 10% of several consumer goods whose sales
tax on luxury goods are omitted.

Other Effects of the Increase of Income Tax on
Import

It’s should be recognized that every policy has
its own positive and negative effects. What
comes into a question is what is the negative
side and the shortcoming of this policy?
Controlling import activities is not as easy it

Volume 50, Nomor 9, September 2018 - Warta Bea Cukai | 21