Jakarta – The 4.5-year sentence handed down to former Indonesian Minister of Trade, Tom Lembong, is the result of a lengthy legal process that has passed through legitimate evidentiary stages in court. The case is considered purely a legal matter, with no indication of politicization or criminalization.
This was conveyed by Dr. Edi Hasibuan, Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Law and Criminology Lecturers, in an interview.
“If anyone says this is criminalization, that’s not the case—this is a legal matter,” said Edi.
According to Edi, the ruling demonstrates that the judicial system is working objectively, ensuring that every individual, without exception, is held accountable for actions that harm the state, even though there was no direct financial benefit received by Lembong.
“This process was long and purely a legal issue. The judge rendered a verdict based on evidence and facts presented in court,” Edi emphasized.
It is worth noting that on social media, the hashtag #VonisTanpaIntervensi (“Verdict Without Intervention”) is currently trending at number one, indicating strong public support for what is perceived as an autonomous and politically unpressured judicial decision.
Most observers regard the ruling as the result of a fair legal mechanism based on evidence revealed during the trial.
Various groups supporting the verdict assert that the credibility of Indonesia’s legal system remains intact, with a decision made independently, free from external interference or political agendas.
