Tax foodstuffs and then give money to poor Indonesians to buy them: Opinion

Workers prepare government social assistance at a warehouse in Cipinang, East Jakarta on May 15, 2020. The packages contain staple food and basic commodities to be distributed to low-income families across the capital to mitigate the impact of Covid-19. - JP

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): Desperate times call for desperate measures. But is the government so desperate that it will even start taking money from the poor?

With revenue from income taxes falling drastically during the economic recession, the government is planning to tax basic foodstuffs to cover a gnawing deficit in its spending plans. Bad idea, critics say.