Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa implements fiscal and organizational reforms

Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has implemented several strategic shifts within the Ministry of Finance. This includes a major reshuffle of hundreds of officials, including approximately 350 echelon III positions, which Purbaya described as a routine reorientation to ensure organizational adaptability and integrity. He explicitly denied social media rumors alleging the sale of positions.

On the fiscal front, tax revenue grew by 23.7% year-on-year as of July 2026, reaching Rp 1,224.3 trillion. To further boost revenue and prevent leaks, the Ministry is integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the Indonesia National Single Window (INSW) system to analyze export-import data and detect corporate tax discrepancies. Purbaya also noted that the government has no immediate plans to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) rates, citing the need to maintain budget stability.

Regarding the Whoosh high-speed rail project, the Ministry is considering appointing either the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) or PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI) to manage the project's debt. Purbaya stated that the annual debt installment of approximately Rp 1 trillion can be covered by the profits of existing state-owned agencies (BLUs) under the Ministry's coordination, noting that some BLUs generate between Rp 3 trillion and Rp 7 trillion in annual profit. The debt repayment is expected to span an 80-year period.