Mothers Mobilized to Collect Overdue Vehicle Taxes in Cirebon

The Cirebon City Regional Revenue and Financial Management Agency (BPKPD) in West Java has launched an unconventional initiative to tackle vehicle tax evasion: deploying local mothers, known as "emak-emak," to collect overdue payments. These women, officially termed "search officers," are tasked with tracking down tens of thousands of vehicle owners who have failed to meet their tax obligations.

According to Arif Kurniawan, the Head of BPKPD Kota Cirebon, the program targets 35,399 vehicles classified as "KTMDU" (Vehicles Not Undergoing Registration Renewal), essentially vehicles with long-standing tax arrears, some exceeding five years. The agency hopes this "massive search" will significantly boost the region's original revenue through vehicle tax (PKB) and vehicle name transfer tax (BBNKB) collection.

The selection of mothers as the primary collectors is based on their perceived persuasive and flexible communication style, believed to be effective in encouraging tax debtors to settle their dues. "But strict selection is still applied," Kurniawan emphasized. Potential officers must be local residents, communicative, persuasive, tech-savvy, and highly committed.

This initiative is part of a broader collaboration with the West Java Provincial Revenue Management Center (P3DW) Samsat. While a similar team composed mostly of men was formed last year, it proved less effective. Mothers, with more flexible schedules, can reportedly conduct searches for three to four individuals daily. The agency has identified priority sub-districts with the highest potential for tax arrears, with Kelurahan Kalijaga leading with 5,276 units.