Mar'ie Muhammad Dibadikan Jadi Nama Gedung Utama DGT Dalam Memori Hari Ini, 19 Januari 2017

Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia 1993-1998, Mar'ie Muhammad. (AFP)

JAKARTA Memories today, eight years ago, January 19, 2017, Minister of Finance (Menkeu), Sri Mulyani captured Mar'ie Muhammad's name as the name of the Main Building of the Head Office of the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP). The award was given because Mar'ie was considered to have a great service for the Ministry of Finance.

Previously, Mar'ie was known as a straight state official. Mar'ie, who in fact the Minister of Finance of the New Order era (Orde) chose a simple life. He did not want to take his rights. He was also nicknamed the Minister Clean.

High officials and luxury are two difficult words to separate. Moreover, in the New Order era. New Order-era officials are often described as showing off their luxury in public. Everything changed when the New Order appointed Mar'ie Muhammad as a high-ranking official.

Mar'ie was once considered as the Director General of State Financial Supervision of the Indonesian Ministry of Finance to serve as Director General at the DGT. He did well. He became a straight figure. His life is simple.

He rejects all kinds of luxury facilities. He appears as it is in public. His performance was not kidding. He managed to get an award from the state. He got the Mahaputera Utama Star.

This condition then made President Suharto attracted to appoint him as Minister of Finance in the 1993-1998 era. His leadership at the Ministry of Finance was brilliant. He managed to collect more than 200 percent of tax revenue.

He also cleared the Ministry of Finance's office of corrupt officials. The work made him known as Minister Clean. His performance brings a sense of optimism. However, not many officials like Mar'ie. The proof is that the New Order could collapse soon.

Mar'ie's career may no longer be a minister. He filled his retirement as a national figure who fought corruption. He even became one of the people who initiated the presence of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). He saw that the corrupt behavior of officials had to end immediately.

Mar'ie's simplicity was seen when he was Director General of Taxes in 1988-1993. This position did not necessarily make him living a luxurious life. His car is still Peugeot out in 1982. The alumni of the UI Faculty of Economics, who is usually called the ustad, has a simple principle, as a servant from the community, is not polite if he asks to be served. Therefore, the man who was born in Surabaya on April 3, 1939 did not ask for various facilities. He prefers to show performance.

"In addition to being simple, Mar'ie is also known to adhere to principles. It doesn't matter if the president or employer, about the obligation to pay taxes, there are no exceptions. At least, as long as I am the Director General, said Mar'ie. Therefore, when Mar'ie was the Director General of Taxes, the tax acquisition exceeded the target. The tax collected reached Rp19 trillion. Even though the target was only Rp9 trillion, "said Yudi Latif in the book Mata Air Ketadanan: Pancasila in Action (2014).

Mar'ie's achievements and simplicity made the Minister of Finance during the Joko Widodo administration, Sri Mulyani attracted. He felt that the Ministry of Finance owed Mar'ie a lot. Sri is of the view that Mar'ie is the best figure of the Minister of Finance who has ever led.

An appreciation was also given. Sri Mulyani also named Mar'ie Muhammad as the name of the Main Building of the DJP Headquarters on Jalan Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta on January 19, 2017. Sri also said that she had been scolded by Mar'ie. He is happy and honored to be able to learn directly from someone with high integrity.

"We want to capture Pak Mar'ie's name at the Directorate General of Taxes Building, because that name is very important to us. Those times (Orba) were not an easy time, the economy might be good, but in terms of governance and commitment to integrity were actually claimed.

It's hard to find a figure where everyone is exposed to the current and few can stand tall. In a situation where people have high hopes for our institution and all ranks of birochrsion can't necessarily catch changes. I need a lot of advice, irregularities or exchange ideas. Mr. Mar'ie is always there to encourage, warn and even want to exchange his experience," Sri Mulyani said as quoted by the ANTARA page, January 19, 2017.