Not Only Tom Lembong, The AGO Is Also Asked To Reveal All Food Import Cases

Former Minister of Trade (Mendag) Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong was detained by the AGO (Ist)

JAKARTA - Agricultural observer from the Indonesian Political Economy Association (AEPI) Khudori asked the Attorney General's Office to examine all food import cases after naming Thomas Lembong or more often referred to by Tom Lembong as a suspect in the sugar import case.

Khudori, in a written statement received in Jakarta, Wednesday, October 30, stated that food import cases did not actually only occur in sugar.

Khudori, referring to the results of the examination by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) regarding the management of food import trade procedures from 2015 to Semester I 2017 or from the Minister of Trade Rachmat Gobel, Thomas Lembong, to Enggartiasto Lukita, found 11 errors in the import policy in five commodities: rice, sugar, salt, soybeans, cows, and beef.

If grouped, the error is divided into the top four. First, imports were not decided at the meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy. Second, imports without the approval of the technical ministry, namely the Ministry of Agriculture.

Third, imports are not supported by data on needs and document requirements. Fourth, import income exceeds the specified deadline.

"So random imports of potential do not only occur when Tom Lembong serves as minister of trade. Therefore, in order not to create a bad suspicion, the AGO should examine all cases that have the potential to harm the state," said Khudori.

"Only in this way, the AGO will be free from selective logging accusations. We support the AGO to clean up all officials, officials, and parties who become collectors under the guise of imports," he added.

The Minister of Trade for the 2015-2016 period Tom Lembong was named a suspect for granting permission to import 105,000 tons of raw crystal sugar to PT AP to process raw crystal sugar (GKM) into white crystal sugar (GKP).

In fact, based on the inter-ministerial coordination meeting on May 12, 2015, it was concluded that Indonesia experienced a sugar surplus so there was no need to import sugar.

In this case, investigators also named the Director of Business Development of PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (PT PPI) 2015-2016 Charles Sitorus as a suspect.

Director of Investigation at the Attorney General's Office, Abdul Qohar, at a press conference in Jakarta, Tuesday (29/10), confirmed that the determination of Tom Lembong as a suspect was not related to politics.

"No exception is the culprit. When sufficient evidence is found, the investigator will definitely determine the person concerned as a suspect," he said.