A lawyer says Tom Lembong is being questioned by investigators regarding sugar import documents

Jakarta –

The Office of the Attorney General (Kejagung) is investigating the former Minister of Commerce, Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembongin the 2015-2016 sugar import corruption case. Tom Lembong was questioned for about 10 hours regarding the policy letter including sugar.

“So, earlier we were still showing letters made by Mr. Tom, yes there were several letters made by Mr. Tom, and letters that went to Mr. Tom as well, from PT PPI, letters made by Mr. Tom to BUMN,” Tom Lembong’s lawyer, Ari Yusuf Amir, told reporters, Friday (1/11/2024).

Ari said that the letter about the policy was issued by Tom Lembong according to procedures. Includes reporting in stages starting from the co-ordinating minister of the economy.

“It was processed below, until it arrives, he has to agree to sign it. And even then, all these letters were told to the coordinating minister in coordination meetings, that’s how it is,” he said . .

“So, there is nothing wrong with the process, the process was followed correctly,” Ari continued.

In addition, he said that the letter that went to his client when he was trade minister in 2015-2016 was a continuation of the previous minister.

“Pak Tom, right, continues in his role from the previous minister. Well, so he refers to the previous minister’s letter, that is why Pak Tom is still in close contact with his staff who know the first plan from the minister was before until it is. continues,” he said.

“And of course Mr. Tom’s desire to issue policies is indeed based on good governance, meaning good government, proper administration,” he continued.

Ari said he had spoken directly to Tom Lembong. To him, Tom said he received no compensation or cash flow related to this policy.

“So there’s nothing to worry about, he stressed that. I said, ‘OK, then Mr Tom, we’ll fight, you don’t have to worry’,” he said.

“‘I don’t care, I don’t care at all’, he said. ‘I’m just confused about why I’m still being held’, he said,” Ari continued.

Seating matters

The alleged corruption case regarding the importation of sugar in 2015-2016 only put two suspects. Both of them are Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembong as Minister of Trade 2015-2016 and Charles Sitorus as the former Director of Business Development at PT Perusahaan Dagang Indonesia (PT PPI).

In this case, there are several terms that need to be understood, namely raw crystal sugar (GKM), refined crystal sugar (GKR), and white crystal sugar (GKP). Simply put, GKM and GKR are sugar for the production process, while GKP can be consumed directly.

Based on the rules signed by Tom Lembong himself when he was Minister of Commerce, only BUMN is allowed to import GKP, this must also be in accordance with domestic needs agreed in a coordination meeting inter-ministerial and to control the availability and price stability of GKP.

At the same time, in this case – in 2016 Indonesia had a shortage of GKP stock – BUMN should be able to import GKP. However, according to prosecutors, Tom Lembong instead allowed private companies to import GKM, which was then processed into GKP.

The prosecutor said that Tom Lembong pushed a letter of assignment to PT PPI to collaborate with the private sector to process the GKM imported to GKP. A total of nine private companies were mentioned, namely PT PDSU, PT AF, PT AP, PT MT, PT BMM, PT SUJ, PT DSI, PT MSI, and finally PT KTM.

“With the knowledge and consent of the suspect TTL (Thomas Trikasih Lembong), the GKM import agreement was signed for nine private companies. Apparently, to achieve stock and stabilize prices, GKP was the it was brought in directly,” said Abdul Qohar as Director of Investigations at the Assistant Attorney General for the Special Crimes Task Force.

After the private company processed GKM into GKP, it was as if PT PPI bought it. In fact, what happened, according to the prosecutor, is that the GKP was sold directly by private companies to the public through distributors at Rp 3,000 higher than the highest selling price (HET).

“From receiving and selling GKM that is processed to GKP, PT PPI receives a fee of IDR 105/kg. State losses resulting from this action have a value of about IDR 400 billion, which is the value of the profits received by private companies that should be there. to the state,” he said. Abdul Qohar.

(and/rfs)