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Sri Mulyani promises 'better communication' during House grilling
During a meeting with House Commission XI on Monday, the embattled minister outlined some of the institutional changes underway, including improved mechanisms and access, as well as communication training for tax and customs officers.
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Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. (Finance Ministry/-)
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s the public continues to show increasing hostility against tax and customs offices following a spate of graft scandals involving their officials, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said on Monday that the ministry planned to build the offices’ public communication skills, especially among frontline officials.
Speaking during an hours-long meeting with House of Representatives Commission XI overseeing financial affairs, Sri Mulyani also said the ministry had heeded and taken into consideration the surge in public complaints regarding tax and customs officers after the widely followed case involving former tax official Rafael Alun Trisambodo.
She said the complaints ranged from unsatisfactory tax mechanisms to the inappropriate behavior of airport customs officials, and that the ministry was ready to embark on the “continuous task” of improving its communication with the public.
Recent weeks have seen negative reactions among the Indonesian public regarding the graft scandal surrounding Rafael, whose wealth was exposed when an assault charge against his son went viral. He was then summoned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for questioning over his recorded wealth of Rp 56 billion (US$3.66 million), just Rp 2 billion shy of Sri Mulyani’s.
Public condemnation came shortly afterward, with many people openly venting their frustration with and distrust toward the ministry’s officials, while others shared their negative experiences with customs officers.
Several figures, including Alissa Wahid, a daughter of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, took to social media to expose the inappropriate and exploitative behavior of customs officials in anecdotal accounts of officials mishandling their belongings, intimidating them and charging exorbitant fees.
“From March to December, we have requested better communication from our account representatives [AR], functional officers, bailiffs and frontliners,” Sri Mulyani told the House commission.
