Bitter Getir Tanri Abeng Becomes First SOE Minister

Tanri Abeng, former Minister of SOEs 1998-1998 who died in Jakarta on June 23, 2024 at the age of 82. (ANTARA/Sariani Mappong/am.)

JAKARTA - Tanri Abeng is a big name in the Indonesian business world. His career as a professional manager cannot be doubted. He was able to increase the profit of selling beer in the archipelago. This popularity increased when Tanri became a struggle for many companies.

Tanri was also nicknamed the One Billion Manager. The New Order government was attracted. Tanri was then appointed as the first SOE Manteri in a precarious time. However, working as a professional and government executive are two different things. Tanri fell up and down leading the Ministry of SOEs.

The career of Tanri Abeng in the managerial field is unquestionable. The graduate of the State University of New York in 1968 became a fight for by many parties. Tanri also chose a multinational company, Union Carbide Corp.

Tanri is able to compete for the manager position in a company that focuses on chemical business. However, the challenges sought never appeared. Tanri tries to find luck in other fields. Hatuk is loved by scholars arrived. Dutch beer company, Heineken is interested in using Tanri's services.

Heineken felt that they were dead in selling beer in the archipelago through Indonesian Beer Company, especially the mainstay product of Bintang Beer. Indonesia's condition, which is predominantly Muslim, is a problem. Drinking beer is considered a forbidden activity. Tanri was also asked to overcome such problems.

A classy position was given to Tanri. He served as President Director, Indonesian Beer Company in 1979. Tanri then tried to make a breakthrough. Reform was carried out. Tanri changed the image of the Indonesian Beer Company by changing its name, from the Indonesian Beer Company to PT. Multi Bintang Indonesia (MBI).

Tanri has also begun to acquire companies that produce light drinks. The goal is that people do not only think that MBI is selling beer. Even the innovation of beer in cans was introduced.

Tanri plans to make MBI listed on the stock exchange. This condition is supported by a good managerial from Tanri. The distribution manager was also asked to directly guide the distributors. The results are brilliant. Star beer leads the sale of beer throughout the country and sells well.

The company's profits increased rapidly in just three years. This success has attracted many other companies to use Tanri services. The Bakrie & Brothers company, especially. That said, Bakrie has poured funds amounting to one billion US dollars.

The money is considered a dowry so that Tanri wants to move from the beer base to Bakrie & Brothers. This made Tanri known as Human One billion. Tanri officially left the MBI in 1991.

As is known, since two years ago, Tanri took part in Bakrie & Brothers. With concurrently two important positions, the character who has been nicknamed the most expensive manager in Indonesia has been flying. Such incidents are not only unusual, but really surprising.

Moreover, Tanri reportedly received a transfer fee of one billion. This big issue was later denied by the person concerned himself. On that occasion, Tanri stated her determination to pursue a new career in the Bakrie Group, "said Budi Kusumah and Bambang Sujatmoko in his writing in Tempo magazine entitled From Beer to Steel (1991).

Tanri's career as in the professional business world has no significant disruption. He was able to successfully bring companies that used his services. However, everything changed when Indonesia began to be hit by the issue of the economic crisis in 1997.

At first, the crisis was considered not to disrupt Indonesia's economic activity. Disaster arises. The drop in the rupiah made many sectors fall to the lowest level. SOEs, one of them. Many SOEs are critical, especially the banking sector.

The government is trying to move quickly. They are trying to find foreign debt. The Ministry of SOEs was created. Suharto directly contacted Tanri to become the first SOE minister in March 1998.

Tanri also considers this task as a service to the nation and state. The Soeharto and New Order governments are confident that Tanri's profile as a professional manager can make existing SOEs can rise and develop rapidly.

This wish is grandiose. Tanri realizes that her position as a professional in companies and governments is two different things. Tanri considers managing 158 SOEs previously by 17 Ministries is not easy.

Tanri admitted that entering the government was very difficult and tense. He felt the bitter taste of being the Minister of SOEs. In fact, he already contains a formulation on how Indonesian SOEs develop.

He also laid down the foundations of the Ministry of SOEs. Even though his leadership was short, from March 1998 to the end of Habibie's power of attorney in 1999. Tanri also managed to maintain Indonesia's major SOEs: Garuda Indonesia, PLN, to various state-owned banks that were used as one into Bank Mandiri.

"In addition to being handed over to tasks that are usually carried out by 17 ministers, then reduced to become one minister. I also have to carry out a privatization process as well as make a profit at a later date, critical and critical when the state treasury is negative".

"An additional psychological factor is added because we are in the IMF's grip. The supervision is tight because the position of the country is breaking. In other words, our bargaining position is very weak. Leading the ministry with monumental tasks, without offices, without staff, I have to take care of it from scratch," said Tanri Abeng in the book 50 Years Lessons (2018).