Indonesia scales back VAT hike after public backlash

Only 'premium' items will be taxed at new rate amid spending power decline

20241209 Jakarta

Jakarta supermarket in October. The Indonesian government has pulled back and will apply a new 12% value-added tax rate on Jan. 1 only to "premium" goods and services. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)

ISMI DAMAYANTI and REZHA HADYAN, Nikkei staff writers

JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government said on Monday that it will continue with its plan to raise value-added tax to 12% from Jan. 1, but will limit the new rate to a range of "premium" goods and services following a public backlash.

The hike, from 11% in 2022, was prescribed in a law on tax issued in 2021 and was initially supposed to cover a broad range of items. But a rising public backlash in the past few months, alongside mass layoffs and weakening purchasing power, has forced the new administration of President Prabowo Subianto to scale back the plan.

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