Taxpayers who are yet to participate in the tax amnesty program will soon receive emails from the tax office warning that the authority is aware of hidden assets and they could face hefty penalties if they refuse to declare.

A report in the «Jakarta Globe» claims the move is part of the tax office effort to squeeze more revenue out of the tax amnesty program, under which taxpayers could clean their tax record by declaring hidden assets and pay a small percentage of the assets as penalty.

However even given such generous terms a large number of taxpayers have still not embraced the offer.

The second part of the amnesty program has seen a drop of nearly 70 percent from taxpayers compared to the July-August period.

We Have Their Data

The tax office is still lagging behind the Indonesian Rupiah 165 trillion target with participation among high earnings professionals, like doctors and lawyers, and small-medium entrepreneurs disappointingly low.

«We have their data, if they don't join the tax amnesty program then we'll send the email,» said Ken Dwijugiasteadi, (pictured) Director General of taxes at the Finance Ministry.

Ken Dwijugiasteadi 512

Taxpayers who joined the tax amnesty program but are caught only reporting part of their actual assets will be forced to pay income tax for the assets and then pay 200 percent of the income tax as punishment.

Those who do not come clean about their assets and never join the tax amnesty program will be forced to pay 30 percent of their taxable income; plus 2 percent of their income tax a month for a maximum 24 months as penalty.

The tax amnesty program will close at the end of March 2017