Bambang Soejarto Became Director General of Customs and Excise in Today’s Memori, August 29 1983

President Suharto and a number of Customs and Excise employees from the New Order era. (Perpusnas)

JAKARTA – In memory of today, 40 years ago, 29 August 1983, the Minister of Finance, Radius Prawiro appointed Brigadier General Bambang Soejarto as Director General (Dirjen) of Customs and Excise (Bea Excise). The appointment was praised by many. Soejarto is considered to be able to change the face of Customs in a better direction.

Previously, Customs and Excise was often associated with various types of fraud and smuggling. The image of a corruptor's nest was also present. This condition was highlighted by many parties, especially the New Order (New Order) authorities and foreign businessmen.

Customs and Excise is never far from fraud and smuggling. The institution was even branded as a hotbed of corruption. From the Old Order era to the New Order (Orba). This condition continued for a long time. Instead of making the government's work easier, Customs often acts slowly.

They can't work if they don't make a profit. Moreover, Customs and Excise has become a law unto itself, aka an institution that becomes the law itself. The government is also confused. They cannot optimally perpetuate their control function.

Corruption in Customs and Excise has spread to all fronts. This condition received criticism from here and there. Mainly, because of the presence of the term peace fine. Policies that incidentally exist to satisfy all parties.

Actions of Customs officers in carrying out their daily roles. (beacukai.go.id)

Payment of peaceful fines allows smugglers and Customs officials to gain maximum profit. Even then the smugglers only pay peace fines and all kinds of matters are made easier. aliases okay. All the letters are manipulated, so are the numbers.

That fact made the prestige of the New Order ruler even worse. This is because corruption is not only in the body, often in the military, but also in civil society. Customs performance is too bad. People then demanded that the government immediately perpetuate the movement so that Customs and Excise could be free from corruptors.

"That's the truth. The words and demands for eradicating corruption are a cry from the people's conscience arising from real and living facts. The problem cannot be covered up with anti-ABRI accusations."

“Civil corruption has also been highlighted so far. Telkom, Customs, Haj foundations, BE scandal, Mantrust scandal, Arief Husni and Coopanya are clear examples," explained Moctar Lubis in the book Mochtar Lubis Headlines in the Tajuk-Tajuk Mochtar Lubis di Harian Indonesia Raya Volume 2 (1997).

President Suharto and the New Order did not remain silent. Customs behavior is considered to have gone too far. Both the government and foreign businessmen highlight the detrimental behavior of Customs. The owner of power then perpetuates various policies. Rotation and changing of Customs officials has been perpetuated since the 1970s.

The spell didn't help much. Finally, the Minister of Finance in the 1983-1988 era, Radius Prawiro tried to perpetuate the replacement of the head of Customs and Excise with a high-ranking officer from the Department of Defense and Security. General Bambang Soejarto, his name.

He hopes that Soejarto's presence can bring fresh air to Customs. This hope also happened on August 29, 1983. The Minister of Finance for the New Order, Radius Prawiro appointed Bambang Soejarto as the new head of Customs and Excise.

The appointment of Bambang Soejarto was also to fill the vacant post of Customs and Excise leadership after Wahono was elected as Governor of East Java. Radius believes Customs can change.

Bambang Soejarto is considered capable of fighting fraud and smuggling at Customs and Excise until its roots. Even if the intention was not much success. This is because the New Order government preferred to freeze Customs rather than continuing to use its services in 1985.

“Bambang Soejarto Director General of Customs and Excise. Minister of Finance Drs Radius Prawiro date. August 29 appointed TNI Brigadier General Bambang Soejarto as Director General of Customs and Excise at the Ministry of Finance. He replaced Lt. Gen. (Pur) Wahono who was elected Governor of East Java. Brigadier General Bambang Soejarto was previously a high-ranking officer in the Department of Defense and Security, had been Deputy Commander of the Medan Artillery Center, Deputy Commander of the Kopkamtib Central Screening Task Force and a high-ranking intelligence officer for Defense and Security," wrote in a report by ABRI's Kekaryaan Magazine (1983).