REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Experts and observers warn the House of Representative (DPR) not to bargain over the tax amnesty bill, saying the bill need to be passed into law as soon as possible.

Approval by DPR of tax amnesty bill is urgent as it is closely related to the amended 2016 state budget for 2016 as well as 2017 state budget, Roni Bako of the Pelita University said here on Friday.

Delay or rejection of the bill could cause a deadlock in the implementation of the state budgets, which mean disruption of the government development program, he said.

He suspected political motive had held the DPR from giving its approval for the bill.

He said tax amnesty is an important program that has to be implemented soon, adding in short term it could increase the state income.

"Without tax amnesty the only option left for the government is slashing the budget for development amid shortfall in tax revenues," he said.

Unfortunately , the opposition to the government initiative often come from the faction of the ruling PDIP party.

PDIP's cadres in the cabinet such as Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung should help convince the PDIP faction of the urgency of tax amnesty, he said.

Meanhile Danny Darussalam of the University of Indonesia suspected short term political interest has motivated PDIP in rejecting the bill.

Danny said debate on the tax amnesty bill should not be linked to the hot issue over candidate for new police chief.

Tax amnesty is purely intended to serve as economic growth driver and for the welfare of the people, he said.

Observers said PDIP is seeking to push President Joko Widodo into naming deputy police chief Com. Gen. Budi Gunawan to take over as the country's police chief.

President Jokowi has not proposed his candidate for new police chief to the DPR although a new chief is to be installed in August to replace Badrodin Haiti, who will reach his retirement age next month.

Expert in constitutional law Irmanputra Sidin suspected that the president is in disagreement with the ruling party over who is to be the new police chief.

Sidin said it might be difficult for the president to make a decision that could displease former President Megawati Soekarnoputri, now general chairwoman

Budi Gunawan is now known to be close to Megawati and was an aide of the country's fourth President.

Budi Gunawan was Jokowi's candidate for police chief but he cancelled the candidacy and named Badrodin Haiti after the Corruption Eradication Commission KPK) named him a corruption suspect.

A pretrial court acquitted Budi Gunawan of the charge giving him way to secure the position of deputy chief of the state police.

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