Six Indonesia Companies Involved in Alleged $187 million Tax Fraud

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Jakarta Globe reported. An Indonesian lawmaker announced on Friday that a Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) allegedly implicated six companies in tax fraud totaling Rp 1.7 trillion ($187 million).

Companies were identified as follows, Permata Hijau Sawit, Asian Agri Group, Wilmar Nabati Indonesia, Alfa Kurnia, INJ International and EMA Majokerto Hospital by a Markus Melkias Mekeng.

Markus Melkias Mekeng, House of Representatives Commission XI which overseas financial affairs member said that the companies were identified following a Supreme Audit Agency (BKP) report.

Mekeng, longtime critic of the tax authority, said the commission would urge the House to form a special committee to investigate the case and demand law enforcement officials thoroughly investigate the case, which likely involves officials from the Directorate General of Taxation. He encourages the house to investigate further to prosecute the officials from the Directorate General of Taxation who were allegedly involved in the fraud scheme.

“We all know that over the last three years the tax office has been unable to fulfill its collection target, and one of the main causes is that their officials may be misusing their authority for personal interests,” said the lawmaker, Markus.

It was not Markus’ first time fight against these tax violators, he started standing his grounds against them long ago before these new issues became known, in May 2010, he called the dismissal of two senior tax officials, including director general Mochamad Tjiptardjo, for what he called their “poor performance” in handling cases involving companies Permata Hijau Sawit, Wilmar and Asian Agri.

The BPK opened an investigation and began an audit of tax office methods in June following the request from Mekeng and Commission XI, specifically asking to look at the cases involving these companies, among others.

Potential applications of renewable energy sources

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In a world where almost everything is run by machines it not surprising that we are also running out of energy sources what worsens the case is that the energy sources that we use are destroying the world we are living in.  Another dilemma people are now facing is these energy sources are bound to vanish years from now.

The potential of renewable sources is massive as they are expected to meet world’s energy demand.   Renewable energy sources are biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind and marine energies they can provide sustainable energy services, based on the use of routinely available, indigenous resources.  The renewable resources such as biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal can provide sustainable energy services, based on the use of routinely available, indigenous resources are attractive renewable fuel in utility boilers.

While price of gas continue to fluctuate a transition to renewable-based energy systems is looking increasingly likely as their costs decline.  Solar and wind powers continue their rapid sales growth in the past 30 years.   Due to this their capital costs and costs of electricity generated, and have continued to improve their performance characteristics while fossil fuel and renewable energy prices, and social and environmental costs are heading in opposite directions.  The economic and policy methods needed to support the widespread dissemination and sustainable markets for renewable energy systems are evolving fast.

Renewable energy sources (RES) supply 14% of the total world energy demand. The future growth in the energy sector will be primarily in the new regime of renewable energy, and to some extent natural gas-based systems and the conventional oil and coal sources will then die out.  These developments will innovate the market opportunity to emerge and promote renewable energy technologies but of course with the assistance of governmental and popular sentiment.

If develop further the RES can enhance diversity in energy supply markets that will lead to contribute in securing long term sustainable energy supplies.  It can also help reducing local and global atmospheric emissions that will revive our dying planet.  Lastly it will provide commercially attractive options to meet specific energy service needs, particularly in developing countries and rural areas helping to create new employment opportunities there.  This is all because the renewables are the primary, domestic and clean or inexhaustible energy resources.  And because they can be regrown there is no fear of losing them years from now.

An example of renewable is the biofuels, one advantage of biofuel aside from it can  be regrown is that it can offer environmental benefits such as lower carbon emissions and lower sulfur compared to first generation biofuel.  It is then believed that biofuels could help meet the world’s future energy needs.

 Other benefits are:

Power generation. Renewable energy provides 19% of electricity generation worldwide. Renewable power generators are spread across many countries, and wind power alone already provides a significant share of electricity in some areas

Heating. Solar hot water makes an important contribution to renewable heat in many countries.  Direct geothermal for heating is also growing rapidly.

Transport fuels. Renewable biofuels have contributed to a significant decline in oil consumption in many parts of the world.  The 93 billion liters of biofuels produced worldwide in 2009 displaced the equivalent of an estimated 68 billion liters of gasoline, equal to about 5% of world gasoline production.

BIOMASS AS a fuel for BOILERs

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Biomass for energy often mean plant base material although can equally apply to both animal and vegetable draw from material. Biomass is actually a biological material derive form living or recently living organisms. Biomass chemical composition is carbon based and is composed of a mixture of organic molecules containing hydrogen, usually including atoms of oxygen, often nitrogen and also small quantities of other atoms, including alkali, alkaline earth and heavy metals, metals are often found in functional molecules such as the porphyrins which include chlorophyll which contains magnesium.

There are five basic categories of material of biomass such as:

•Virgin wood- from forestry, arboriculture activities or from wood processing.

•Energy crops- high yield crops grown specifically for energy applications

•Agricultural residues- residues from agriculture harvesting or processing

• Food waste- from food and drink manufacture, preparation and processing, and post-consumer waste

•Industrial waste and co-products- from manufacturing and industrial processes.

The question is how are we going to use this biomass as a fuel for boilers? But what is a boiler in the first place? A boiler is defined as “a closed vessel in which water or other liquid is heated, steam or vapor is generated, steam is superheated, or any combination thereof, under pressure or vacuum, for use external to itself, by the direct application of energy from the combustion of fuels, from electricity or nuclear energy.”

Let us then go back to the previous question, how are we going to use this biomass as fuel for boilers. Nowadays, the prime sources of energy in the world are oil, coal and natural gas. But these natural sources of energy has their end too, unfortunately it is already anticipated that within the next 40-50 years these sources of energy will deplete. Worst is, it is also expected that from these sources lies consequences due to their emissions such as global warming, acid rain, urban smog. Due to this fact the world is trying to utilize new sources of energy, there are some renewable energy sources that can replace harmful energy sources. The solar, wind, biomass etc are energy sources which are less harmful to the environment but can only be use in a suitable way. Biomass is one of the earliest ever discovered sources of energy but only comes with specific properties. It was then discovered that utilizing biomass in boilers offers many economical, social and environmental benefits such as financial net saving, conservation of fossil fuel resources, job opportunities creation and CO2 and NOx emissions reduction.

However, care must also be taken for consideration. Although biomass can be good in some point there are also disadvantages such as: environmental impacts of biomass such as land and water resources, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and deforestation. Problems associated when burning biomass in boilers are fouling, marketing, low heating value, storage and collections and handling. The future of biomass in boilers depends upon the development of the markets for fossil fuels and on policy decisions regarding the biomass market.

Crown Capital Eco Management Indonesia News: Fraudsters attack even natural disasters victims

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-Natural Disasters Victims: Scammers Wait until we are in our Lowest

Opportunists prey on natural disasters’ victims and even those who want to help. They would not miss any single chance that they could profit something from any kind of people by taking advantage of their weaknesses. Victims are at their most desperate state and scammers see this as an opportunity to deceive them.

“After practically every disaster, in the United States or abroad, charity scams pop up,” says John Breyault, vice president of the National Consumers League. “We saw charity scams pop up after Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti and the Indonesian tsunami, to name just a few.”

These frauds come in various shapes and sizes as well as the scammers. They would take advantage the helplessness of the victims, they will show up and their front door, offer help and after they collected the payment in advance they would not show-up afterwards or worse make a bigger damage on the victim’s properties.



Beware of email scams, through email fraud they can easily target victims during in time of need. Although natural disaster’s victims are not their target rather potential donors after the disaster are being preyed.

Following a number of cases against email frauds after a disaster, the U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud. Email and social medias are often also being used, urging you to click on a photo and then would ask for many things after that will lead you to send out money. The department insisted not to click on links instead independently seek information about charities you are interested in helping. Better yet, go directly to well known charities or charities that you already know.

Request of money donations are automatically considered as illegitimate, no record will be provided if the said organization did received the money and on your part you will not have a record for tax purposes. It is not advisable to make donations.

It will be hard to be rational during a time of calamity but take time to think about things because more often than not being impulsive will worsen things. Number one rule that you must remember is never send out or give money until the work is done or the product is at hand. Government is sure to help you, better wait for their action before making decisions on your own.

If you would like to help out, go to reputable charities and send out help yourselves. Help also comes in different shapes and sizes, as much as possible avoid sending out money to help.

You must keep in mind that although there are good people out there, scammers are also not far. It is a matter of being rational and intelligent more especially in worse times. Double check everything first, it is better sure than sorry.