November 27, 2025 | 05:45 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has warned that Indonesia’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise faces the risk of being disbanded if it fails to improve its performance.
Speaking after an internal meeting with customs officials, Purbaya said the agency currently suffers from a poor public image, drawing criticism from the media, citizens, and the nation’s top leadership.
The minister added that he has requested one year from President Prabowo Subianto to implement reforms.
“The threat is serious. If Customs and Excise cannot improve its performance and public dissatisfaction continues, the agency could be frozen or replaced, as happened in the past with SGS,” Purbaya said during a press briefing at the House of Representatives Complex in Jakarta on Thursday, November 27, 2025.
SGS, or Société Générale de Surveillance, is a Swiss inspection company that temporarily took over Customs and Excise during the Soeharto era after Finance Minister Ali Wardhana froze the agency amid widespread corruption cases.
Purbaya also warned that failure to reform could lead to the dismissal of 16,000 customs employees.
To address these challenges, the ministry is introducing reforms including the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) at customs stations, aimed at quickly detecting illegal practices such as under-invoicing. These efforts are part of a broader plan to enhance efficiency, transparency, and public trust in the agency.
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