JAKARTA, Indonesia: Former Indonesian Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong has been detained by prosecutors on charges related to a 2015 sugar import permit that allegedly led to state losses totaling around $25 million.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) reported that Lembong, an ex-banker and former aide to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), is accused of allowing the import of 105,000 metric tons of sugar without consulting relevant state bodies or obtaining ministry recommendations. Indonesia, already in a surplus at the time, had no need for additional sugar imports, according to officials.
Lembong’s authorization of the permit, granted to a private entity identified as PT AP, reportedly resulted in financial damage estimated at 400 billion rupiah (roughly $25 million). The attorney general’s office emphasized the investigation’s neutrality, denying political motivation despite Lembong’s critical stance against Jokowi’s administration in recent years.
Known as a supporter of Jokowi in the past, Lembong later turned into a strong critic, especially after leaving office in 2019. Recently, he managed the presidential campaign of Anies Baswedan, who opposed Prabowo Subianto, Jokowi’s favored candidate and successor as of October 20. Following his arrest, Lembong stated he would leave the outcome “to God Almighty.”
