DENPASAR

Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika has welcomed the announcement that Bali is to become a pilot area for a nationwide tax audit by the State Audit Board (BPK).

Pastika said that the audit would help Bali achieve financial accountability this year.

“I am grateful that the BPK has come here, and has made Bali an example for the national tax audit,” he said this week.

Bali was selected as a pilot area for the audit after an investigatory team from BPK conducted a preliminary investigation of tax liabilities in Bali. The team was led by I Gede Kastawa and nine other BPK officials.

Within Bali Tabanan has been chosen for a regency level pilot audit.

Pastika said he hoped that the Bali authorities would be able to learn a great deal about handling tax administration during the audit, which will begin this month, and would be able to move towards a goal of receiving 70 percent of state revenues through taxation.