Govt upbeat to meet oil tax target despite drop in oil prices

The government is still optimistic that the tax receipt from oil and gas sector for 2001 will reach the initial target despite the recent drop in oil prices, a senior tax official has said.

Slamet Suryo Putro, the head of the tax office for individual and corporate foreign taxpayers (KPP Badora), said in Jakarta on Thursday that the target could be still achieved because the stable gas prices would still be able to offset the drop in oil prices.

?We are now focusing on the receipt from the gas sector to meet the target,? he said, adding that of the total Rp 25.72 trillion of the income tax receipts to be raised this year, about Rp 20.06 trillion would come from individual and corporate taxpayers.

One of the strategies in reaching the tax receipt target, his office would improve the control in the tax payment from oil and gas companies, he said. (*)