Former Co-Captain Corruption Suspect Winning Team, Cak Imin: Be Patient, Hopefully Strong

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment (Menko PM) Muhaimin Iskandar when met at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Wednesday (30/10/2024). BETWEEN Dwi Gayati

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment (Menko PM) Muhaimin Iskandar expressed his sadness over the 2015-2016 Minister of Trade Thomas Trikasih Lembong who was named a suspect in a criminal act of corruption in sugar importation activities.

"I'm really sorry. Hopefully Mr. Tom will be patient, hopefully strong," said Muhaimin when met at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, October 30.

Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembong for alleged corruption in the 2015-2023 period of sugar importation activities at the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag). Tom Lembong once joined the successful team of Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin during the 2024 presidential and vice presidential elections.

Tom is trusted to be the coordinator of the (co-captain) captain for the Anies-Muhaimin winning team. When asked further about indications of criminalization from the opposition team, Muhaimin admitted that he did not know about it.

"I don't know," said Muhaimin.

Based on the information gathered, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) has named the former 2015 Minister of Trade Thomas Trikasih Lembong (TTL) or Tom Lembong, as a suspect in a case of alleged corruption in sugar importation activities for the 2015-2023 period at the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag).

Director of Investigation at the Attorney General's Office of Jampidsus Abdul Qodar at a press conference at the Attorney General's Office Building, Jakarta, Tuesday, said that Tom Lembong was one of two witnesses named as suspects today.

"The first is TTL as Minister of Trade (Mendag) for the 2015'2016 period," said Qohar.

According to him, the second suspect with the initials CS as Director of Business Development at PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (PPI) for the 2015'2016 period.

Qohar explained that Tom Lembong's involvement in the case began when in 2015, in a coordination meeting between ministries, it was concluded that Indonesia had a sugar surplus, so there was no need to import sugar.

However, in the same year, Tom Lembong as the Minister of Trade at that time gave PT AP a license to import raw crystal sugar.