Free Through Abolition, Tom Lembong Invites To Use Momentum To Fix The Law

JAKARTA - Former Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembong invites that the moment of abolition be used to encourage legal improvement in Indonesia.

He conveyed this when he visited the Judicial Commission (KY) to undergo mediation regarding his report against the three judges who tried him in the sugar import corruption case.

According to Tom, the use of this moment is not only for his benefit, but also for the benefit of the wider community.

"So that together we can take advantage of the momentum of this subscription to encourage improvements that we can encourage. It's a shame if this momentum is not used for the common good," Tom told reporters, Monday, August 11.

His presence at KY, said Tom, is a form of commitment to the reports he made, especially to improve the legal system in Indonesia.

"I was present this morning to show my commitment and seriousness, as well as to raise the conscience of the members and officials of the Judicial Commission," he said.

Tom Lembong previously reported three judges who sentenced him to a corruption case of sugar imports, namely Chief Judge Dennie Arsan Fatrix, and member judges Alfis Setyawan and Purwanto S Abdullah.

In a corruption case of importing raw crystal sugar for the 2015'2016 period at the Ministry of Trade, Tom was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison. He was declared proven to have harmed state finances amounting to Rp194.72 billion.

The crime was carried out by issuing a letter of application or approval for sugar imports to 10 companies without coordination meetings between ministries and without a recommendation from the Ministry of Industry.

Tom was also sentenced to a fine of Rp. 750 million with the provision of a subsidiary of 6 months in prison.

However, on August 1, 2025, Tom Lembong was officially released from the Cipinang Detention Center, Jakarta, after receiving an abolition from President Prabowo Subianto. He left at 22.05 WIB, hours after the Presidential Decree (Keppres) was signed and handed over by the Prosecutor's Office to the detention center.

For information, abolition is the president's right to abolish criminal charges and stop the legal process if it has been implemented, taking into account the opinion of the DPR.