Finance Minister Purbaya Issues Ultimatum to Kemenkeu Officials: Even Slight 'Fooling Around' Will Be Punished!

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has warned the ranks of Ministry of Finance officials against operating in grey areas, as the primary duties and functions of each are already very clear. He emphasised that the task of officials and employees in the Ministry of Finance is to safeguard fiscal governance within the boundaries of the State Finance Law, so that global and domestic investors trust in investing in the country, thereby driving faster economic growth and opening up job opportunities. “So one thing I want to add repeatedly and this is important, you must maintain your integrity. In the Ministry of Finance, there is no grey area, right is right, wrong is wrong; if you start to compromise even a little, the effects can chain react,” said Purbaya at the Juanda I Building of the Ministry of Finance, Jakarta, on Tuesday (21/4/2026). “Today it’s small (deviation), tomorrow it becomes a system. If it becomes a system, it’s hard to reverse. So once again, don’t try it,” Purbaya stressed. He emphasised that the integrity and professionalism of Ministry of Finance officials are very important because they will serve as role models for the employees below them. If they behave poorly, it will create a chain effect down to the lowest levels. “So you are not just working, you must be a leader worth emulating with strong leadership, and if you walk straight, the organisation follows straight. So going forward, you must set an example for your subordinates; if not, for example, if you are crooked, telling your subordinates to be straight won’t work, the boss is crooked, right?” said Purbaya. President Prabowo Subianto has also repeatedly emphasised to his ministerial ranks to continue maintaining professionalism and integrity as examples for their subordinates. If they are unable to work straightforwardly, he assured that the head of state will not hesitate to execute by removing them from their positions. “Just maintain your integrity, lead by example, and execute without hesitation; that’s what President Prabowo has said repeatedly to me, when are you going to execute, he says. Now it’s the modern survival mode, if there’s someone messing up, we clean it up as quickly as possible,” Purbaya stated.