There Is Appreciation For Customs Officers Who Reveal A Big Case

Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has stated that it will give great appreciation to Customs and Excise officers regarding the disclosure of the smuggling case that has occurred recently. This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, in which she ensured that Customs and Excise officers who uncovered major cases would receive appreciation, even if they did not rule out getting a promotion.

"Surely they will be recognized (get recognition), we usually give it," he said in Jakarta, Friday, December 20.

However, the Minister of Finance did not mention whether there were any Customs officers or officials who had received transfers or promotions, especially in connection with major cases that were revealed later at the inauguration. "I'll ask you later," he said.

In the inauguration of the tax supervisory committee, the high ranking officer, administrator, supervisor and function of the Minister of Finance emphasized that the transfer of duties is not always a punishment or promotion.

The former Managing Director of the World Bank said changes or transfers and promotions were also due to organizational needs based on an assessment of performance observations and evaluations.

"I hope you all have the mindset and feeling that you are ready to carry out your duties by gaining new knowledge and using past knowledge and experience to improve the bureaucracy," he said.

Some time ago, Customs and Excise officers uncovered the smuggling case of a Harley Davidson luxury motorcycle by former President Director of PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk I Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra.

The big motorbike and Brompton bicycle were transported using a brand-new Garuda plane that had just flown from its factory in Paris, France. The total state loss due to the smuggling is estimated at Rp1.5 billion.

Customs and Excise also thwarted seven cases of smuggling of luxury cars and motorbikes through the Port of Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, during the period 2016 to 2019.

During that time, 19 units of luxury cars and 35 units of motorbikes / frames / luxury motorbikes were confiscated with a total value of goods reaching more than IDR 21.63 billion and potential state losses of up to IDR 48.82 billion.