Customers wait in line at Bank Syariah Mandiri’s Thamrin branch in Jakarta on Tuesday (6/6). The Finance Ministry issued a new regulation to revise the minimum balance for bank accounts that must be reported by financial institutions to the Directorate General of Taxation. The revision raised the minimum balance from Rp 200 million to Rp 1 billion.
The government has been receiving public criticism in connection with setting the minimum bank account balance for reporting to the Directorate General of Taxation.
A Finance Ministry regulation that seta minimum balance of Rp 200 million for bank accounts that must be reported by financial institutions to the Directorate General of Taxation caused widespread anxiety. Responding to the public outcry, the Finance Minister revised the regulation and raised the minimum limit from Rp 200 million to Rp 1 billion.
The Finance Ministry regulation on the obligation of financial institutions to report individual bank accounts to the Directorate General of Taxation derives from the Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No. 1/2017. The Perppu, which the President is constitutionally authorized to issue in "a forced emergency", had not been discussed by the House of Representatives (DPR). The DPR has not acted on whether to accept or reject the Perppu.
The Finance Minister\'s step to revise the minimum balance from Rp 200 million to Rp 1 billion must be appreciated. The government has heard the public’s objections. However, the question is: How should the government formulate public policy before introducing it to the public?
The management of public administration and public communication strategy apparently needs to be addressed. The leak of the draft selection of members for the Presidential Work Unit for the Implementation of Pancasila (UKP-PIP) Steering Committee, which was different from the members presented at its inauguration, gave rise to unnecessary speculation. An explanation and public communication is required.
Revisions and immediate changes due to public criticism are good on the one hand. However, on the other, it could have an effect on the credibility of the government. In the digital era of concurrent and interactive communication, the government\'s public communication strategy cannot rely solely on press releases. There needs to be a government spokesperson who can provide a thorough explanation and provide a background on why a policy is taken.
The government frequently leaves out context. Perppu No. 1/2017 was provided with an explanation after a draft was "leaked" through social media eight days after it had been signed by President Joko Widodo.
Even though it has been proposed several times, we still see the need for improved governance and government administration. Incomplete draft decisions must be kept confidential. On the other hand, the presence of a credible and publicly trusted government spokesperson is urgently needed. Do not let the government\'s narrative be deflected because of the government\'s weakness in communicating.
