PNG Tax Chief Koim Resigns Amid Dispute Over New Oversight Board
PNG’s Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) Commissioner General Sam Koim has stepped down from his role, signalling deep concern over amendments before Parliament that would place the country’s top revenue office under a new oversight board.
Koim’s resignation comes only days after the government tabled changes to the IRC Act, which would hand a board broad operational powers previously held by the Commissioner-General. The outgoing tax chief, who oversaw a record K17 billion collection in 2024, said the policy shift risked weakening the agency’s independence despite its recent achievements.
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| PNG Tax Chief Koim Resigns Amid Dispute Over New Oversight Board |
The amendments form part of measures linked to IMF loan conditions aimed at boosting PNG’s revenue mobilisation. The reform would allow an appointed board to supervise operational areas that have long been under monocratic authority, a model Koim insists has proven effective.
During consultations, he argued the current 2014 IRC Act already provides strategic oversight through an internal Commission led by the Commissioner-General, supported by both internal and external accountability systems. “Granting a board such extensive and overarching powers—right into operational matters—could undermine the monocratic authority of the Commissioner-General,” he warned.
Koim questioned the need for reforms tied to the IMF’s push for an oversight board, saying no evidence had been presented that the existing system was failing. “Where is the evidence that our current mechanisms are failing? None has been presented,” he said, noting revenue had doubled from K8 billion in 2020 to K17 billion.
Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey earlier defended the proposal, saying it aligns IRC with public-sector restructuring and strengthens transparency, risk controls and budget consistency. Supporters maintain the hybrid model mirrors global tax administrations handling large revenue flows.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly acknowledged IRC’s strong performance, highlighting that nearly 30 per cent of the 2025 national budget target had already been secured. But Koim’s recent online comment has stoked debate: “What happens when you leave the blood bank in the hands of a known vampire to look after?”
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