Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Calls for Taxpayers to File Tax Returns as Govt Needs $4 Billion for Vaccination Program | Indonesia to Vaccinate 57,000 Elderly Pilgrims: Health Ministry | Jakarta Adm

KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s government urged the citizens to file their annual tax returns (SPTs) as the state needs about 58 trillion rupiahs ($4.03 billion) to pay the country’s mass vaccination program to contain the spread of Covid-19. By paying taxes, the public will also participate in accelerating the economic recovery.

In other news, the Health Ministry had begun the vaccination program for senior citizens who plan to attend the annual haj pilgrimage.

Below are excerpts from the stories in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

Indonesia Calls for Taxpayers to File Tax Returns as Govt Needs $4 Billion for Vaccination Program

Indonesia’s Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara said that the country’s mass vaccination program requires a budget of 58 trillion rupiahs ($4.03 billion) to provide vaccines for 185 million citizens to achieve herd immunity.

To help obtain the funds, Suahasil called on taxpayers to file their annual tax returns (SPTs).
“The vaccination program will need approximately 58 trillion rupiahs. And we must vaccinate 185 million citizens, this is not a small number,” said Suahasil during a virtual event titled Spectaxcular held on Monday, March 22.

“The185 million people need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and tax money is one of the main resources for buying vaccines and implementing the vaccination program,” he explained.

Suahasil said that the government set the 2021 state budget at 2,750 trillion rupiahs ($191.34 billion). Of this amount, about 699 trillion rupiahs ($48.63 billion) were allocated for the national economic recovery and Covid-19 handling, including the mass vaccination program.

By paying taxes, he added, the public will also participate in accelerating the economic recovery. He called on the taxpayers to file their annual tax returns.

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/03/22/155642826/negara-butuh-rp-58-triliun-untuk-vaksinasi-rakyat-diminta-patuh-bayar-pajak.