Masalah Tabungan Perumahan Rakyat (Tapera) mencuat setelah diterbitkannya PP 21 Tahun 2024, yang mewajibkan pekerja berpendapatan di atas UMR menyetor 2,5% dari gaji tiap bulan. CELIOS dalam Policy Brief “Tapera untuk Siapa? Menghitung Untung Rugi Kebijakan Tapera” menyoroti dampak kebijakan ini terhadap ekonomi. Direktur Ekonomi Digital CELIOS, Nailul Huda, menyampaikan, “Kebijakan Tapera menyebabkan penurunan PDB sebesar Rp1,21 triliun, surplus keuntungan dunia usaha turun Rp1,03 triliun, dan pendapatan pekerja terdampak Rp200 miliar,” menunjukkan berkurangnya daya beli dan permintaan di berbagai sektor.

Direktur Eksekutif CELIOS, Bhima Yudhistira, menambahkan, “Kebijakan iuran wajib Tapera berdampak negatif pada lapangan kerja; dapat menyebabkan hilangnya 466,83 ribu pekerjaan. Meskipun penerimaan negara bersih naik Rp20 miliar, jumlah ini sangat kecil dibanding kerugian ekonomi di sektor lain.” Huda juga mencatat bahwa backlog perumahan belum terselesaikan, bahkan model Taperum menunjukkan masalah yang sama.

Policy Brief CELIOS menyarankan tujuh langkah perbaikan, antara lain menjadikan Tapera wajib hanya untuk ASN, TNI/Polri, sementara pekerja formal dan mandiri bersifat sukarela; meningkatkan transparansi dan tata kelola dana Tapera; mengendalikan spekulasi tanah; menurunkan suku bunga KPR; serta memprioritaskan dana APBN untuk perumahan rakyat dibanding mega-proyek dengan dampak kecil terhadap ketersediaan hunian.

The issue of the People’s Housing Savings (Tapera) surfaced after the issuance of Government Regulation No. 21/2024, requiring workers earning above the regional minimum wage to contribute 2.5% of their monthly salary. CELIOS, in its Policy Brief “TAPERA for Wh(o)at? Analyzing the Pros and Cons of the People’s Housing Savings Program” highlighted the policy’s economic impact. CELIOS Director of Economics Nailul Huda stated, “The Tapera policy caused a GDP decline of IDR 1.21 trillion, business surplus fell by IDR 1.03 trillion, and worker incomes were affected by IDR 200 billion,” showing reduced purchasing power and weaker demand across sectors.

CELIOS Executive Director Bhima Yudhistira added, “The mandatory Tapera contributions negatively affect employment; potentially causing the loss of 466,830 jobs. Although government revenues slightly increase by IDR 20 billion, this is negligible compared to the economic losses in other sectors.” Huda also noted that the housing backlog remains unresolved, with the Taperum model confirming the same issue.

The CELIOS Policy Brief recommends seven improvements, including making Tapera mandatory only for civil servants and military/police personnel while allowing formal and independent workers to participate voluntarily; enhancing transparency and governance of Tapera funds; controlling land speculation; lowering mortgage interest rates; and prioritizing public funds for people’s housing over mega-projects that minimally increase housing availability.