DJBC Will Not Be Dissolved, Prabowo Praises Improvements in Customs and Tax Directorates

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has confirmed that the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) will not be dissolved and replaced with private Swiss company Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS), contrary to earlier speculation.

The assurance came after Purbaya disclosed that he received praise from President Prabowo regarding improvements in DJBC’s performance. Purbaya explained that during a meeting at the State Palace a few weeks prior, President Prabowo’s position on DJBC had undergone a complete reversal.

From previously advocating for the dissolution of customs, the President had shifted to acknowledging that Purbaya’s performance improvements were beginning to show results.

“There has been progress in customs. A few weeks ago I had a meeting at the Palace with the President, and usually he would always say ‘dissolve customs, replace with SGS’, always like that,” Purbaya said at the Finance Ministry in Jakarta on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.

“But yesterday it was different. He said this: ‘I can see there is improvement there and I am confident we can improve customs so that it is not handed over to SGS’,” said Purbaya, mimicking the President’s comment.

With the recognition from President Prabowo, Purbaya said he now feels more confident in discussing the DJBC with the President and other ministers.

“Usually when I have meetings at the Palace, if they start talking about customs and tax, I feel deflated. That is extraordinary recognition — we have been seen to be making progress. Thanks to the hard work of the Director General of DJBC and colleagues,” said Purbaya.

He added that President Prabowo has given similar praise to staff at the Directorate General of Tax (DJP) under the command of Director General Bimo Wijayanto.

Purbaya said that the President now feels very confident about continuing to boost state revenue, particularly after tax collection grew 30 per cent in January–February 2026.

“In front of Indonesia’s leaders, the President said, ‘I thought our tax sector could not be improved, but it turns out after vigorous efforts, January and February grew 30 per cent’. So this is the result of cooperation and everyone moving together,” he said.