Purbaya vs the mafia | October 21, 2025

Hello reader,

Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has become somewhat of a media darling since replacing Sri Mulyani as finance minister, with his no-nonsense approach to the job seemingly resonating well with the public.

Armed with this popularity, Purbaya has on numerous occasions publicly challenged those blamed for Indonesia’s economic woes. Most recently, he has announced a large-scale crackdown on smuggling mafias, while also looking towards cleaning up his own ministry.

Is he all talk, or will he actually follow through? More on him below.

Cheers,

Andra

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