Jakarta. Indonesia’s Finance Ministry is reviewing part of a major staff reshuffle under former minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa after officials found that some appointees bypassed required competency assessments and the talent management process.

Director General of Taxes Bimo Wijayanto said he and Customs and Excise Director General Djaka Budhi Utama had asked to postpone or cancel the appointments because some officials had not undergone the same selection process as their colleagues.

The findings came after Purbaya reshuffled hundreds of officials across the ministry, including at the tax and customs agencies, shortly before he was replaced by Suahasil Nazara as finance minister.

“There were some ‘magical names’ who did not go through the assessment and talent management process,” Bimo told reporters at the Directorate General of Taxes headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday.

Bimo said the reshuffle initially came from proposals submitted by the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP) and the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC). However, he found that several names included in the list had not completed the required assessment and talent management stages.

Assessment evaluates employees’ capabilities and competencies, while talent management helps identify and prepare employees for specific positions. Bimo said the mechanisms were important to ensure that employees underwent a consistent evaluation process before taking on new roles.

The appointments raised concerns about fairness among employees who had completed the required assessments and examinations.

“That is what prompted me and the chief of DJBC to ask for the appointments to be postponed or canceled, because it sends the wrong signal to other employees who have worked hard to go through assessments, take examinations and participate in talent management,” Bimo said.

He did not disclose the identities or number of officials whose appointments were questioned.

“Those who did not meet the requirements will have their appointments canceled. The others will remain,” he said.

Bimo confirmed that the affected officials would return to their previous positions when asked whether they would be reinstated. “Yes,” he said.

He added that Suahasil had committed to maintaining talent management and meritocracy in the ministry’s personnel management.

“Yes, Suahasil has expressed his commitment to implementing talent management and meritocratic reforms as well as possible,” Bimo said.

Meanwhile, Djaka said DJBC had yet to implement all transfers involving echelon II and III officials, which broadly correspond to senior and mid-level management positions. The agency was waiting for further instructions from the ministry’s central office under Suahasil’s leadership.

“We are waiting to see what the Finance Ministry’s central office will do regarding personnel transfers, particularly those involving Customs and Excise,” Djaka said.

Purbaya had reshuffled hundreds of officials across the Finance Ministry on Thursday, Sept. 10, including echelon II and III officials, as well as leaders of Special Mission Vehicles (SMVs) and Public Service Agencies (BLUs). The changes also covered personnel at the tax and customs agencies.

The appointments were announced at a ceremony at the ministry’s Mezzanine Hall in Central Jakarta. At the time, Purbaya described the reshuffle as part of an organizational refresh and an effort to place officials according to the ministry’s needs.

Four days later, Purbaya was replaced by Suahasil as finance minister on Monday. A day after the handover, Purbaya was asked whether the reshuffle of around 350 officials in the tax and customs agencies had contributed to his removal.

Purbaya acknowledged that the reshuffle was partly linked to his replacement as finance minister.

“Some of it did,” he told reporters at the Finance Ministry’s office in Central Jakarta on Tuesday. Asked whether the reshuffle was one of the reasons for his removal, he replied, “Yes, partly.”

Purbaya did not elaborate on the other factors, saying the appointment of a finance minister was the prerogative of President Prabowo Subianto. “That is the President’s prerogative. We just follow his decision,” he said.

Purbaya also left the final decision on the officials’ appointments to Suahasil. He said the appointments should remain in effect, although the new minister had the authority to change them. “They should remain in effect, but he can change them. It is up to the minister,” Purbaya said.

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