Reasons why Thomas Lembong is suspected in sugar import corruption

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Office of the Attorney General (AGO) the “sins” committed by the former Trade Minister Thomas Lembong until finally he was named as a suspect in the case including sugar.

The Director of Investigation of the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes, Abdul Qohar, said that the man, whose full name is Thomas Trikasih Lembong, abused his authority in handling the 2015 sugar import policy- 2016.

“The Minister of Trade, that is TTL, gave permission to import 105 thousand tons of raw crystal sugar, which was then processed into white crystal sugar,” said Abdul Qohar at a press conference in his office, Jakarta , Tuesday (29/10) .

Abdul Qohar explained that according to the Decree of the Minister of Commerce and the Minister of Industry Number 257 of 2014, the State Owned Enterprises (BUMN) are the ones allowed to import white crystal sugar.

However, Tom Lembong is said to have given permission to the private company that did the importing.

“And the introduction of crystal sugar was not through a coordination meeting or a coordination meeting with the relevant agencies, and without a recommendation from the Ministry of Industry to determine the real need for sugar in the country,” said Abdul Qohar.

He said that a coordination meeting was held on 28 December 2015 which was attended by officials under the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs. One of the discussions is that there was a shortage of white crystal sugar of 200 thousand tons in Indonesia in 2016.

From November to December 2015, Abdul Qohar, suspected CS as Director of Business Development of PT Perusahaan Dagang Indonesia (PPI) followed PT PPI’s senior staff manager of staples on behalf of P to hold meetings with eight private companies work in the sugar sector.

“In fact, to achieve stocks and stabilize prices, white sugar should be imported directly and only state-owned companies can import it,” he said.

Abdul Qohar disclosed that the business licenses of the eight private companies that process raw crystal sugar into white crystal sugar as refined crystal sugar for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

“After the eight companies imported raw crystal sugar and processed it into white crystal sugar, it appeared that PT PPI was then buying the sugar even though it had actually sold by private companies to the market or to the public through affiliated distributors, at a price. of IDR 26 thousand per kilogram.

PT PPI is suspected of receiving fees from eight companies that import and process sugar amounting to IDR 105 per kilogram.

It is suspected that this case caused a state financial loss of up to IDR 400 billion.

Tom Lembong and the suspected CS are suspected of violating Article 2 paragraph 1 or Article 3 of the Anti-Corruption Law (UU Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 1 of the Criminal Code.

Both of them were immediately detained for the first 20 days at the Salemba State Detention Center (Rutan).

(ryn/rds)

[Gambas:Video CNN]