New Finance Ministry Secretary General Urged to Strengthen Fiscal Stability and Internal Governance
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The appointment of Robert Leonard Marbun as Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance (Sekjen Kemenkeu) is viewed not merely as a routine job rotation. The presence of global geopolitical pressures makes this position key to maintaining national fiscal stability.
Regarding this, economic observer on currency and commodities, Ibrahim Assuaibi, assesses Robert as the right person with a wealth of experience. One of his challenges is to dismantle old practices that erode state revenues.
“Purbaya’s desire is for someone with proven experience in the field. The Secretary General is the minister’s right-hand man. That’s where its strategic position lies. Especially now with unstable global conditions, rising oil prices, fiscal pressures will certainly be felt,” said Ibrahim in his official statement.
According to him, the most crucial issue lies domestically or in customs, specifically at trade entry points like ports and airports. Ibrahim also spotlighted customs mafia practices that are still rampant and difficult to eradicate, as the many ‘gates’ in the distribution chain make oversight weak.
“The biggest problem is at the ports. There are many leakages. This is no secret. Even from experience and discussions with former officials, it’s indeed the hardest there,” he said.
He explained that the patterns occurring tend to be systemic. When one route is monitored, another route still operates. Even in many cases, such practices are done collectively.
“One gate closed, another gate operates. This is already communal. So it’s not about one or two people, but the system that needs fixing,” he emphasised.
Ibrahim is optimistic that if the new Secretary General can improve governance, especially in the customs and tax sectors, the impact on state revenues will be significant.
“If this can be fixed, the potential increase in tax revenue is huge. But if not, it will stagnate as usual,” he stated.
On the other hand, the success of the new Secretary General will also depend heavily on the ability to control internal bureaucracy, particularly in building integrity at all levels. According to him, the organisational culture in the ministry is very much determined by the leadership.
“If the leadership is firm and clean, the effect will trickle down. Civil servants are a reflection of their leaders. If the top is disciplined, the bottom follows. But if the top ‘plays around’, the bottom will definitely follow suit,” he remarked.
Additionally, economist from the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios), Nailul Huda, stated that Robert Leonard Marbun is the right choice as a working partner for Finance Minister Purbaya.
“I do not doubt Mr Robert’s capabilities with all his experience at the Ministry of Finance and BKPM,” he revealed.
Robert Leonard Marbun is indeed known for his background as an academic figure in economics and public policy. Starting from his career at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) as an Analyst in the Supervision and Law Enforcement Field in 2011, up to his peak as Director of International and Inter-Agency Customs in 2016.
His career then soared until he was appointed as Special Staff for State Revenue Policy at the Ministry of Finance by Sri Mulyani in 2018. He also served as Special Staff for Institutional Relations at the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) in 2024.
Nailul assesses that the new Finance Ministry Secretary General should focus more on the internal side to improve civil servant governance. “With his position as Secretary General, I do not see his role in addressing geopolitical challenges. The Secretary General’s role at the Ministry of Finance is more internal rather than external,” he concluded.
As is known, in the Ministry of Finance’s structure, the Secretary General has a central role in human resource management. This position holds the database and track record of all employees within the ministry.
With that function, the Secretary General plays an important role in the selection and nomination process of officials from various Directorates General. Every nomination can be tested based on track record, integrity, and competence of the proposed officials.
This role makes the Secretary General the main filter in ensuring that officials occupying strategic positions are the right individuals with high integrity.