The government of Indonesia proposes to impose an excise tax of at least IDR 200 (approx. USD $0.02) on plastic bottles and packaging. This proposal is part of talks about revisions to the 2016 State Budget (APNB-P 2016). Later this week, the government will discuss the matter with Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR). Around the globe several countries (including Great Britain and India) have imposed such an excise tax on plastic bottles and packages, both for additional tax revenue and as a measure to protect the environment.

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Indonesia's plan to  raise people's (annual) non-taxable income by 50 percent to IDR 54 million (approx. USD $4,090) is estimated to add 0.3 percentage point to consumption growth in Indonesia according to Indonesia's Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro. Last week, Brodjonegoro announced this tax incentive with the aim to strengthen Indonesians' purchasing power and encourage household consumption. Household consumption, which accounts for about 56 percent of Indonesia's overall economic growth, has been curtailed in recent years amid slowing economic growth, high inflation and the weak rupiah rate (against the US dollar).

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Due to weaker-than-expected revenue in 2016, the government of Indonesia has to cut government spending by IDR 50.6 trillion (approx. USD $3.8 billion) this year. Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro informed that the government is currently in the middle of discussing revisions of the 2016 State Budget (APBN 2016). Weaker-than-expected government revenue is primarily the cause of weaker-than-targeted tax revenue. The government will also revise its inflation, average rupiah rate, and average oil price targets. Despite the expected cut

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The government of Indonesia plans to raise non-taxable income by 50 percent from IDR 36 million (approx. USD $2,727) to IDR 54 million (approx. USD $4,090) in a bid to strengthen people's purchasing power and encourage household consumption. Although at first sight this move should lead to curtailed (income) tax collection, the Indonesian government expects that rising household consumption and investment will lead to higher value-added tax (VAT) and corporate income tax revenue. This should then add 0.16 percentage point to the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

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Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro announced on Tuesday (05/04) that Indonesia's tax revenue reached IDR 194 trillion (approx. USD $14.7 billion) in the first quarter of 2016, down 2.1 percent from tax revenue in the same period one year earlier. Brodjonegoro blamed this poor result on lower income from value-added taxes (VATs) due to tax restitution and people's low consumption amid sluggish economic growth. Meanwhile, he informed that Indonesia plans to cut the personal income tax, a move aimed at boosting tax compliance.

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The Indonesian government will revise a number of macroeconomic assumptions set in the 2016 State Budget (APBN 2016). This budget was approved on 30 October 2015 and therefore has begun to fall out of tune with the current economic reality. Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said the indicators that need some rethinking are the Indonesian crude oil price, inflation, and the rupiah exchange rate.

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The start of infrastructure projects in Indonesia - ranging from roads, bridges, power plants, smelters, and public housing - has managed to boost cement consumption in the first month of 2016. Widodo Santoso, Chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), said domestic cement consumption in Indonesia rose 4.4 percent (y/y) to 5.14 million tons in January 2016 from the same month one year earlier. Highest growth in consumption occurred in Sumatra (+15.8 percent y/y to 1.1 million tons), Java (+5.3 percent y/y to 2.9 million tons) and Sulawesi (+19 percent y/y to 424,000 tons).

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The Indonesian rupiah has been under pressure so far today (03/02) on concern that falling oil prices drag down other commodity prices, hence negatively affecting Indonesia's export performance. Yesterday, a global selloff in stocks occurred as oil prices were again touching the USD $30 per barrel mark. Emerging market currencies too are under pressure. The Indonesian rupiah had depreciated 0.79 percent to IDR 13,799 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index) by 12:55 pm local Jakarta time.

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The government of Indonesia is in the final phase of revising its tax collection target of 2016 from IDR 1,360.2 trillion (approx. USD $98.5 billion) to IDR 1,226.9 trillion (approx. USD $89 billion). Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said the new 2016 tax target is based on a 10 percent year-on-year (y/y) growth of last year's tax realization plus an estimated IDR 60 trillion (approx. USD $4.3 billion) generated through the government's planned tax amnesty bill.

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One advantage of Indonesia's non-optimal government spending is that it somewhat covers for the shortfall of tax revenue that is expected to occur in 2015. The shortfall in tax collection may reach up to IDR 250 trillion (approx. USD $18 billion) and this failure to meet the government's tax collection target in the 2015 State Budget was the reason behind the resignation of Sigit Priadi Pramudito as Director General of Indonesia's Tax Office. But with government spending estimated to reach only about 90 percent of this year's target, the budget deficit should not go beyond the 2.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) mark.

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Despite rising concerns about the slowing pace of the Indonesian economy, the deputy minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro reminded investors that Indonesia's economic growth in the third quarter of 2013 still constitutes one of the highest growth rates around the globe. Economic expansion in Q3-2013 slid to 5.6% in Southeast Asia's largest economy. With the exception of China (7.8% GDP growth in Q3-2013), Indonesia's growth continues to outpace growth in other emerging markets, such as Brazil (3.3%) and Turkey (4%).

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The slowdown of Indonesia's economic growth is expected to continue into the third quarter of 2013. The Indonesian government predicts that economic growth will fall below the GDP growth figure realized in the second quarter (5.8 percent). Acting Head of the Fiscal Policy Agency Bambang Brodjonegoro stated that the main factor that causes the country's slowing economic growth in Q3-2013 is reduced household consumption. Domestic consumption in Indonesia accounts for about 55 percent of the country's GDP growth.

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The government of Indonesia is busy preparing seven tax incentives to boost investment flows in 2014. Investments currently account for approximately 32 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Only domestic consumption owns a larger stake towards the economy with 55 percent. The regulatory framework related to the seven incentives is expected to be finalized by the end of this year. The incentives consist of five new ones and the relaxation of two older incentives, namely the tax holiday and tax allowance.

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