"The discovery by the Financial Transactions Analysis and Reporting Center (PPATK) of an abnormally big bank account in the name of tax official DA proves that Gayus Tambunan was just part of network of insiders who help businessmen evade taxes. What we are dealing with is actually a systemic problem and therefore the suspicion of the existence of a mafia is quite relevant," said Bambang Soesatyo, a member of the House of Representatives` Commission III, said here Monday.
Bambang was commenting on the fact that the PPATK had recently reported the existence of a middle-ranking employee of the directorate general of taxes , DA, who together with his wife had a bank account worth more than Rp80 billion.
He said success in the efforts to fight taz mafias now depended on the government`s political will. How the PPATK`s finding would be followed up also depended on the government`s political will. DA`s and Gayus`s cases should not be considered as simple and isolated matters, he added.
"These two cases can serve as an entry point to uncover and crack down on the entire tax mafia network. But the governmnt must be cooperative," Bambang said.
He said the House Commission III could very well take the initiative to refer DA`s and Gayus`s cases to its Working Committee on Legal and Tax Mafias. One year ago the Working Committee had also taken up a number of tax evasion or embezzlement cases and in that context summoned the parties involved including serving and former tax officials. "But even then, the government appeared reluctant to cooperate," he said.
"There was an apparent reluctance on the part of the govenment to fight tax mafias," said Bambang, a member of the Golkar Party faction in the House.
"if the govermment does not care, law enforcers will be hamstrung in their efforts to fight the tax mafias. So for the anti-tax mafia efforts to succeed, the government must have and show the relevant political will," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
