Robert Pakpahan

Director of Business Processes Transformation
Directorate General of Taxes, Indonesia
Focus Area(s): 
Civil Service
Interviewers: 
Andrew Schalkwyk
Country of Reform: 
Indonesia
Town/City: 
Jakarta
Place (Building/Street): 
Ministry of Finance
Country: 
Indonesia
Date of Interview: 
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Abstract 
Robert Pakpahan discusses administrative, bureaucratic and technological reforms in the Directorate General of Taxes in Indonesia since 2002. These reforms aimed to increase government revenue by eradicating corruption and expanding the tax net. He discusses the piecemeal modernization of the directorate general, including pay reform, improved monitoring of corruption through increased use of technology, the establishment of standard operating procedures, careful selection of employees, and standard mechanisms for promotions. Pakpahan also discusses obstacles including the maintenance of a current and accurate taxpayer database, bureaucratic resistance, lack of freedom in hiring decisions, and leadership.
 
Full Interview: 
37 MB
Pakpahan Interview
Profile: 
At the time of this interview, Robert Pakpahan, who holds a doctoral degree, was the director of business processes transformation at the Directorate General of Taxes in Indonesia. He worked in this capacity since 2006 to improve Indonesia's tax collection mechanism.
Language: 
English
Nationality of Interviewee: 
Indonesian
No
Robert Pakpahan
K
3
Keywords 
computerization
decentralization
discipline
pay reform
performance management
promotion
ranks and grade
recruitment
Reform sequencing
technical assistance