Finance Minister Backs KPK Arrests of Tax, Customs Officials
Jakarta. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa on Wednesday voiced support for a series of arrests carried out by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) targeting tax and customs officials in Banjarmasin and Jakarta over alleged corruption.
Purbaya said the law-enforcement actions should serve as an entry point for sweeping reforms at Indonesia’s tax and customs offices, which have long faced public criticism over systemic corruption risks.
“This is a starting point to fix both tax and customs at the same time,” he told reporters at the House of Representatives building in Jakarta.
Despite backing the crackdown, Purbaya said the Finance Ministry would provide legal assistance to employees detained by the KPK, stressing that such support would not amount to interference in the judicial process.
“I will not leave my staff to face this alone — there will be legal assistance from the Finance Ministry,” he said. “But this is not a legal intervention. If someone is guilty, they must be dealt with. If not, they should not become victims of abuse.”
As part of internal reforms, Purbaya said the ministry will rotate around 70 officials from the Directorate General of Taxes and 22 officials from the Directorate General of Customs and Excise.
Separately, both directorates said they respect the ongoing legal process and pledged full cooperation with the KPK investigation.
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