Former Sony distributor reports Tommy Winata to DPR<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A former distributor of Sony electronic goods in
\nthe country has taken her business dispute with tycoon Tommy
\nWinata to House of Representatives (DPR) legislators.<\/p>\n
"We'll ask for help from the legislators to protect us from
\nthe judicial institution's arbitrariness," Christine Hartani
\nTjakra was quoted as saying by Antara on Sunday.<\/p>\n
She was commenting on a recent verdict by the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court, which ruled in favor of Johnny Kesuma, a director
\nof one of Tommy's subsidiaries.<\/p>\n
Tommy, who reportedly has business relations with the
\nIndonesian Army, has been the center of public speculation after
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid ordered the National Police last
\nmonth to arrest him. The owner of Bank Artha Graha was alleged to
\nhave conducted gambling activities on a cruise ship in the city
\nwaters.<\/p>\n
The allegation was corrected by Attorney General Marzuki
\nDarusman a few days later. He said the cruise ship owner was a
\nbusinessman named Sugeng Prananto.<\/p>\n
Christine said the dispute began in 1985 when Johnny promised
\nto acquire her company PT Ratu Irama International (PT RII), then
\na sole distributor and brand holder of Sony products in
\nIndonesia, for US$3.5 million.<\/p>\n
She said Johnny used all company's facilities to assemble
\nelectronic goods under Sony brands even though he was not the
\nbrand holder of the products in Indonesia. In return, he paid for
\nemployees and taxes of Rp 105 billion ($12.35 million).<\/p>\n
Johnny later acquired PT RII for $2.217 million and Rp 254
\nmillion, she said.<\/p>\n
"Johnny paid in installments, but he has not paid all his
\ndebts until now," she said.<\/p>\n
After he took control of the company, Johnny filed a request
\nwith the government that it revoke PT RII's license as the sole
\ndistributor of Sony products in Indonesia, she said.<\/p>\n
"The government approved Johnny's request and issue a ruling
\nthrough the Ministry of Industry and Trade in August 1987," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She accused Johnny of planning to unite all activities related
\nto Sony products in Indonesia into one company.<\/p>\n
"Johnny was the president director of PT Amcol Graha
\nElectronic Industry, a producer of Sony products, in cooperation
\nwith Singapore's Sony.<\/p>\n
"The government approval has then been used by Johnny to tell
\nthe Directorate general of Taxes that PT RII was no longer active
\nin September 1987."<\/p>\n
She said Johnny filed a lawsuit in the district court, saying
\nthat PT RII did not hold the right to Sony's brands.<\/p>\n
Christine said the lawsuit was aimed at regaining the money he
\npaid to her.<\/p>\n
She lost all the legal battles from the district court level
\nuntil the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
"We reported the matter to the House as Johnny failed to pay
\nto the state his Rp 105 billion tax obligation," she said.<\/p>\n
Christine said she also was planning to seek legal recourse
\nthrough the ombudsman commission. (asa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/former-sony-distributor-reports-tommy-winata-to-dpr-1447893297",
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