Eff Off Fiskal!!

A few days ago someone told me Air Asialan was having promotional fares for some of their destinations. One of them is Penang.

I clicked on Air Asialan's website to check out the promotional return fare for CGK-PEN route. I selected the dates and voila!!!.... the return ticket price is Rp724,998 (approx RM260).

Cheap huh? Or so you thought.

You see, I am a KITAS (Kartu Izin Tinggal Sementara) holder. And as a KITAS holder, I am required under the law to pay an exit tax or known as FISKAL everytime I exit Indonesia.

The amount? Rp 1 million (approx. RM357).

That is dearer than the flight ticket to PEN.

Add in the FISKAL to the cheap Air Asialan fare, the trip to Penang would not be that cheap anymore.

Lets for awhile imagine there is no FISKAL. I could use the Rp1 million to pay for a two nights accommodation in a 3-star hotel in Penang.

I do contribute to the Kantor Pajak's coffers in term of personal income tax, annually. Why the hell then, is the Indonesian government charging FISKAL?

IT IS BLOODY UNFAIR!!!! and not to mention UTTERLY GREEDY!!!

The more important question is, where do all this FISKAL go? To repair roads? To contsruct more highways? To put in place modern public transportation? To build more schools? To help the poor?

I DOUBT!!!

Could any Indonesian explain to me why the need to charge FISKAL?