Indonesian Army denies new tax oversight roles for Babinsa officers

The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has clarified that its village guidance officers, known as Babinsa, have not been assigned any new duties related to tax oversight. This statement comes in response to the mention of Babinsa in a circular issued by the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP) of the Ministry of Finance.

Brigadier General Donny Pramono, Head of the TNI AD Information Service, explained that the inclusion of Babinsa in the Directorate General of Taxes' Circular Letter SE-8/PJ/2026 is part of an inter-agency coordination mechanism for building a territorial information network. Pramono stressed that this circular does not alter the existing authorities of each agency.

"The TNI AD emphasizes that to date, there are no new assignments or changes to the main duties of Babinsa in the taxation sector," Pramono stated in an official release on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. He further elaborated that the circular serves as internal guidance for the DJP in overseeing taxpayer compliance, outlining various data collection methods and information network development as part of their tasks. Therefore, the mention of Babinsa and Bhabinkamtibmas (community police officers) is solely for territorial information gathering and does not grant them authority in tax supervision, examination, collection, or enforcement.

Pramono reiterated that it would be inaccurate to interpret this mention as an expansion of Babinsa's duties or authority. The DJP itself has clarified that Babinsa are not tax officials and lack the power to conduct tax-related enforcement activities. The coordination is framed as inter-agency synergy and, when necessary, support for DJP officials in the field. All taxation authority remains with the Directorate General of Taxes, as stipulated by law. The DJP also noted that this arrangement is not a new policy but a refinement of internal guidelines that have been in place since 2020. For the TNI AD, Babinsa's duties continue to be guided by laws governing territorial development, defense area empowerment, social communication, and territorial resilience.