Jakarta Steps Up Fight Against Illegal Levies for Better Public Service

The Jakarta administration is committed to providing transparent and accountable public services, one of which is free from illegal levies (pungli). That is by launching and signing the commitment for Jakarta Kota Bebas dari Pungli 2021 (Jakarta free from illegal levies), on Tuesday (11/16).

Regarding this matter, Jakarta stated its commitment in all its areas, we are administratively divided into 6 regions

It was attended by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister (Menkopolhukam), Police General Supervision Inspectorate, Polda Metro Jaya Head, Pangdam Jaya, Ombudsman Chief, and other related agencies.

On that occasion, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan gave his appreciation for the collaboration of various parties in strengthening and confirming the administration's commitment to realize Jakarta Free from Illegal Levies.

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"Regarding this matter, Jakarta stated its commitment in all its areas, we are administratively divided into 6 regions. Hopefully the whole area is free from illegal levies," he expressed, at Jakarta City Hall, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

He explained that illegal levies were mostly caused by misuse of the system. If it was explained, there were three factors, namely the need, greed, and system abuse.

"Talk about the need factor, all staff in Jakarta have sufficient allowances to live a decent life in Jakarta. So, for reasons of need, it is no longer a need, as it has been met. Second, in the system, almost everything in Jakarta is currently being digitized for the entire licensing process, and almost all services are done digitally, where we have JAKI (Jakarta Kini Application). The last is the greed, it has no cure. It can be stopped with fear, InsyaAllah, it will have a deterrent effect. So, hopefully, we can control them where illegal levies happen," he added.

The commitment to create a city free of illegal levies is a follow-up to Presidential Regulation number 87/2016 on Illegal Levies Eradication Unit (UPPL), one of which mandates the Regional Government to eradicate illegal levies by establishing an Illegal Levies Eradication Task Force.

As stated in Governor's Decree number 2786/2016, the administration itself has established UPPL at the provincial and city/district administrative levels. UPPL is a collaboration between Jakarta Inspectorate and Polda Metro Jaya, Kodam Jaya, High Prosecutor's Office, Ombudsman, and other related agencies which in running their duties carry out the functions of intelligence, prevention, prosecution and justice.

Jakarta UPPL has taken concrete action in 2021 by carrying out 819 prevention activities, 704 intelligence activities, 305 enforcement activities and 250 judicial activities in the context of eradicating illegal levies in Jakarta.

Aside that, various kinds of public service innovations continue to be developed in a bid to ensure the optimization of public services in a transparent and accountable manner, including through:

- Digitizing Licensing and Non-licensing Services at Public Service Malls

- Online Tax and Levy Services

- Integrated Motor Vehicle Testing Services (KIR)

- Opening public complaint channels, to improve the quality of public services

- Implementation of Jakarta Development Collaboration Network (known as Jakarta Collaboration Festival),which is a collaboration with various stakeholders in building the city of Jakarta where the Government is the collaborator and the community is the co-creator

- Implementation of JAKI application as a platform for various services in Jakarta

- Implementation of Jakpreneur application, which is a platform to accommodate creative and innovative communities thus they can advance micro, small to medium scale businesses

The administration is committed to ensuring that the prevention and eradication of illegal levies runs effectively, among others through the provision of adequate facilities and infrastructure, human resources, and budget adequacy, as well as synergies in the prevention and eradication of illegal levies with all parties.

Not only that, all related parties are also prompted to take part in ensuring that there are no illegal levies in their respective working areas.