As A Suspect In Sugar Import Corruption, Tom Lembong Loses Rp400 Billion To The State

JAKARTA - Former Minister of Trade (Mendag) Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong is said to have granted sugar import permits to private companies. As a result of its decision, there was a state loss estimated at Rp400 billion.

"That state losses due to acts of sugar importation that did not comply with the applicable laws, the state lost approximately Rp 400 billion," said Director of Investigation at the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Kejaksan Agung, Abdul Qohar to reporters, Tuesday, October 29.

The granting of import permits to the private sector by Tom Lembong has violated the decision of the Minister of Trade and Industry Number 527 of 2004.

The regulation states that only state-owned companies are allowed to import sugar.

In fact, Tom Lembong issued the import permit at a time when there was no crisis or lack of stock.

"Brother TTL gave permission to import 105 thousand tons of raw crystal sugar to PT AP," he said.

"But based on the import approval issued by the suspect TTL, the import of sugar was carried out by PT AP," continued Qohar.

Tom Lembong is said to unilaterally make the decision. This is because it does not coordinate with other ministries to ensure the availability of sugar stocks.

Over time, a coordination meeting was held in the economic sector which was attended by the ministry under the Coordinating Minister for the Economy on December 28, 2015. One of the discussions, Indonesia will experience a stock of 200 thousand tons of white crystal sugar in 2016.

Taking advantage of the momentum to stabilize sugar prices and fulfill national sugar stocks, CS as Director of Business Development of PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia ordered the senior staff manager of PT PPI's staples with the initials P to hold a meeting with eight private companies engaged in the sugar sector.

In fact, stock fulfillment and price stabilization should be imported is white crystal sugar directly and only SOEs can import.

"That the eight private companies that manage raw crystal sugar into white crystal sugar are actually industry permits, namely crystal sugar RAffination producers intended for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries," he said.

After the eight companies imported and managed raw crystal sugar into white crystal sugar. PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia seemed to buy the sugar which turned out to be sugar to the public.

Of course, at a price of Rp. 16,000 per kilogram which is higher than the Highest Retail Price (HET), which is Rp. 13,000

"That from the procurement and sale of GKM which has been processed into white crystal sugar, PT PPI received a fee from 8 companies that imported and managed the sugar amounting to Rp 105 per kilogram," said Qohar.