Yunus Husein, former Head of Indonesia’s Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), has raised serious concerns about widespread flow of illicit funds allegedly passing through the Directorate General of Customs and Excise. 

Speaking on Kompas.com’s Gaspol! podcast on Sunday, June 8, 2025, Yunus emphasized that a significant portion of these illegal funds likely stems from corrupt practices.

“There’s a lot of dirty money allegedly flowing through Customs, and a huge amount of it comes from corruption,” Yunus said.

He stressed that the sheer number of people involved suggests a deeper, systemic failure rather than isolated misconduct. He warned that the problem can no longer be brushed off as the work of a few rogue individuals.

“We often call them ‘rogue actors’, but the truth is, there are just too many of them,” he said, pointing to institutional weaknesses.

According to Yunus, the lack of robust oversight and law enforcement at higher levels has contributed to the blurring of lines between legitimate and illegitimate financial transactions.

“This shows the system is flawed. If the leadership doesn’t set a good example, it becomes hard to distinguish between what’s legal and illegal. Poor enforcement only makes things worse,” he remarked.

Yunus also highlighted the stagnation of Indonesia's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which he believes reflects the country’s failure to make meaningful progress in fighting corruption. Despite a slight increase in score from 34 to 37 over the past decade, Indonesia still trails behind neighboring countries, including Timor Leste.

“In President Jokowi’s ten years in office, our CPI didn’t budge − it stayed at 34 for a decade. It’s like he really values stability,” Yunus quipped, using sarcasm to underscore his frustration.

His remarks underline the urgent need for systemic reforms, stronger accountability mechanisms, and high-level political will to address deep-rooted corruption and restore public trust in key state institutions.