An analyst from the Indonesian Economic and Political Association (AEPI), Salamuddin Daeng, said that Indonesia is rich in natural resources but its state budget lacks money.
“Indonesia is the world’s largest coal exporter, the largest producer of palm oil and nickel, but the contribution to the state budget is very minimal,” said Salamuddin, Jakarta, Saturday (5/18).
Just so you know, state revenue from mining natural resources outside oil and gas (oil and gas), in the last 6 years, has been very minimal.
In 2019, for example, only IDR 33.8 trillion. A year later it fell to R28.1 trillion. In 2021 it rose to IDR 52.9 trillion, in 2022 IDR 120.2 trillion, in 2023 IDR 119.7 trillion and in 2024 it is estimated to fall to IDR 92.9 trillion.
Why does Salamudin say that SDA deposits to the state budget are very low? On average, revenue from natural resources is only IDR 76.6 trillion per year.
hen compared to the value of coal exports in a year alone, at current prices, the value reaches Rp1,568 trillion. This figure has not been added from nickel, bauxite, tin, gold, and so on.
To fill the coffers of the state budget, the state took the main strategy of the colonizers, namely the application of massive taxes.
Taxation is the main colonial characteristic that has been inherited until now in countries that adhere to the ideology of capitalism, such as welfare states.
State tax revenue has increased significantly from year to year. In 2019, tax deposits were IDR 1,332.7 trillion, rising to IDR 1,818.2 trillion in 2023, or an increase of 36 percent.
“The Government and the House of Representatives have agreed to boost taxes in all businesses run by the people. Plus various levies that are coercive. In order to fill the coffers of the state budget,” said Salamuddin.
However, many observers say that the taxes collected will not meet the needs of APBN spending. The reason is that the orientation of taxes is more to community businesses, not to businesses related to the exploitation of natural resources.
What is the evidence? Tax deposits for gross domestic product (GDP) continue to decline. It can even be said to be in freefall.
Currently, tax revenue to GDP is below 10 percent, to be precise 9.2 percent of GDP. Or an avalanche compared to 2012 which was 11.38 percent of GDP.
“This means that the dredging of natural resources, which is increasingly becoming a major contributor to Indonesia’s GDP, is not followed by tax revenue on natural resources,” he concluded.
Indonesian Mining
