Tom Lembong Calls No Destructive Intention To Report About The Judge Who Tried Him

Former Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembong convicted of corruption in sugar imports can be suspended by President Prabowo. (Rizky A-VOI)

JAKARTA - Former Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong alias Tom Lembong stated that the report he made at the Judicial Commission (KY) did not have the slightest destructive intention.

He conveyed this after undergoing an audience with KY regarding the report he made.

"We convey that our goal in submitting reports including judges from the Judicial Commission is 100 percent our motivation is constructive. There is no 0.1 percent destructive intent," Tom Lembong told reporters, Monday, August 11.

In addition, Tom Lembong emphasized that in his career he had never failed or thwarted someone or an institution.

The statement seemed to state that there was no intention of attacking the Judiciary in Indonesia. However, it is only trying to fix or organize the legal system.

"I always make people successful and make institutions successful. Nothing, in my track record I try to drop or thwart someone or a group of people or let alone an institution," he said.

Therefore, the granting of an abolition from President Prabowo Subianto is used as a momentum to fix it. So, all levels of society can feel the performance

"With the attention of the community so broad and deep in my case, we see a very positive momentum," said Tom Lembong.

"And once again there is no personal or negative intention," he continued.

To note, Tom Lembong, reported three judges, who found himself guilty in a sugar import case, to the Judicial Commission (KY).

The three judges reported were Chief Justice Dennie Arsan Fatrix with Member Judges Alfis Setyawan and Purwanto S Abdullah.

In the case of corruption in sugar importation at the Ministry of Trade in 2015-2016, Tom Lembong was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison after being found guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption, which cost the state finances Rp194.72 billion.

Tom Lembong's corruption crimes include issuing submission letters or approval of imports of raw crystal sugar for the 2015'2016 period to 10 companies without being based on inter-ministerial coordination meetings and without recommendations from the Ministry of Industry.

For his actions, Tom Lembong was also sentenced to a fine of Rp. 750 million, provided that if he was not paid, he would be replaced (subsidiary) with 6 months imprisonment.

Even so, on August 1, 2025, Tom Lembong was officially released from the Cipinang Detention Center (Rutan), Jakarta, receiving an abolition from President Prabowo Subianto.

Tom Lembong left the Cipinang Rutan at 22.05 WIB after the Presidential Decree (Keppres) was signed by the President in the afternoon, which the Presidential Decree was handed over by the Prosecutor's Office to the Cipinang Detention Center at night.

The abolition is the right of the head of state to abolish criminal charges and stop the legal process if it has been implemented. The right of abolition is given by the president taking into account the considerations of the DPR.