Saturday, 11 July 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Medan Mayor, Rico Waas, has called on culinary industry players in Medan to adopt a modern, transparent, and professional tax management system. Amid the rapid growth of the restaurant and café sector, the Medan City Government (Pemko Medan) continues to expand the implementation of the Quick Response Electronic Splitting System for Tax Optimization (QRESTO) through information sessions for business owners.
Rico Waas stated that the growing culinary industry must be accompanied by improvements in tax administration and business management quality. According to him, business owners who have developed their establishments with professional support from architects, interior designers, and modern management systems should also implement tax payment systems that are in line with technological advancements."If the construction of a restaurant already involves architects, interior designers, and professional management systems, then the payment system must also be professional. A business cannot grow with a modern concept while its tax administration remains behind the times," Rico Waas said during the opening of the QRESTO payment system introduction event and the High-Level Meeting of the Regional Digitalization Acceleration and Expansion Team (TP2DD) at Aryaduta Hotel Medan on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
The event was also attended by Medan Deputy Mayor Zakiyuddin Harahap, Chairman of the Regional Board of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BPD PHRI) of North Sumatra Melky Maydiroy Waas, representatives from the banking sector, and several restaurant and café entrepreneurs in Medan.He explained that the public is increasingly aware of the importance of proper tax management from business transactions. Therefore, the government and business sector must work together to create a system that provides security, strengthens public trust, and ensures optimal regional revenue collection.
Through the QRESTO system, taxes paid by customers during each transaction are automatically separated from business revenue. This mechanism provides greater transparency, simplifies monitoring, and improves accountability throughout the tax process.Rico Waas stressed that the Medan City Government introduced QRESTO not to create additional burdens for restaurant and café operators. Instead, the system is part of efforts to build trust between the government, businesses, and the community.
According to him, restaurants implementing digital tax systems will gain added value by demonstrating their commitment to transparency and professionalism. Good corporate governance can also increase customer confidence and encourage investors to invest in Medan.He viewed the introduction of QRESTO as a strategic step by the Medan City Government to further strengthen the city's image as an investment-friendly region supported by modern governance.
Meanwhile, Head of the Medan Regional Tax Agency (Bapenda), M. Agha Novrian, explained that the QRESTO information session was aimed at educating entrepreneurs about the use of a digital payment system that automatically separates revenue and tax portions in every restaurant transaction.Agha said the system supports transaction transparency, improves compliance with regional tax obligations, and expands the use of digital channels in regional financial management.
"This information session is intended to provide entrepreneurs with a better understanding of QRESTO as a payment system that enables integrated digital separation between revenue and tax in every restaurant transaction," Agha said.He explained that the event was attended by 65 non-group taxpayers and 35 taxpayers from corporate groups. In total, the program reached 459 beneficiaries consisting of restaurant and café operators in Medan.
Agha expressed hope that the event would create a shared understanding between the regional government, banking sector, and business owners so that the implementation of QRESTO could run effectively.
He stated that collaboration among all stakeholders is a key factor in the success of digital transformation in regional tax administration. With technological support, the Medan City Government can improve transaction monitoring while making administrative processes easier for business operators."The implementation of the QRESTO payment system is expected to provide a digital solution that simplifies business management while significantly increasing Medan's Regional Original Revenue (PAD)," he concluded.
The introduction of QRESTO is one of Medan City Government's initiatives to accelerate regional digitalization through an integrated payment system. The government expects this innovation to create a healthier and more transparent business environment while supporting economic growth in Medan. (IDNC)REPORTER: Teguh Panjaitan | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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