JAKARTA– Anies Baswedan addressed the recent repeal of the tax exemption on the Land and Building Tax for Rural and Urban areas (PBB-P2) for properties with a Tax Object Sale Value (NJOP) under Rp 2 Billion, a rule recently revoked by the Acting Governor of Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono.

Anies lamented the unilateral nature of the decision. He argued that Heru Budi should have conducted a public dissemination on the new policy.

“All policies that are made must be properly socialized so that the impacted public can anticipate any contents of the policy,” Anies told the media in the Pejaten area, South Jakarta, on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

He believes this policy could drive residents of Jakarta to move to other cities and discussed its substance.

He stated that policies made by the Jakarta Provincial Government should not make the public uncomfortable.

“There should be socialization so that people are aware, so they are not shocked, and we respect the citizens by informing them of any changes,” he explained.

He expressed his desire for Jakarta to once again become a city accessible to all.

“Thirdly, we want Jakarta to feel like home for everyone. That principle is what we've always held onto; we want Jakarta's residents, including the less fortunate, to live in peace,” he said.

The former Governor of Jakarta spoke on how tax and spatial policies relate to who can reside in Jakarta. If burdensome, Anies said, people might choose to live in other cities.

“Tax policy, spatial planning is essentially about who lives where, who can live where. We want everyone to be able to live in Jakarta,” he declared.

“Let's ensure that tax policies and spatial planning do not gradually push some of us out of the city,” he continued.

For your information, Anies signed Governor Regulation Number 23 of 2022 regarding the Determination and Payment of PBB-P2 as an Effort to Recover the Economy in 2022.

Anies stated that this regulation was issued as a manifestation of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's concern for the people of Jakarta and to recover the economy through local taxes.

“As is known, local taxes play a crucial role in state life, as a source of regional income used to finance all regional expenditures,” Anies said on Sunday, June 12, 2022.

At that time, Anies noted that during the pandemic, the government required substantial budgets to combat the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak and for economic recovery, including in DKI Jakarta.

“Therefore, we urge the public to take advantage of these incentives and facilities,” Anies concluded.