Purbaya Says Tax Drive on Shadow Economy Will Proceed When

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, that the government will pursue tax from the shadow economy once its potential is clear. The remarks were made at a press briefing in Jakarta.

Purbaya argued that current estimates of the shadow economy’s size are unreliable because the data are uncertain. He explained that without a clear figure, tax targets cannot be calculated accurately. The ministry plans to measure, map, and develop a compliance‑improvement program and to use intelligence analysis to act against high‑risk taxpayers.

The 2026 State Budget Financial Note identifies retail trade, food‑beverage, gold trade and fisheries as sectors with high shadow‑economy activity. Further actions include linking national ID numbers with tax IDs, deploying a core tax administration system, and canvassing to register untaxed entities. These steps aim to broaden the national tax base.