TV actress wins lawsuit against Unilever<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Actress Bella Saphira won her case against giant Dutch company
\nPT Unilever on Monday after the South Jakarta District Court
\ndeclared the firm had violated its contract with her.<\/p>\n
However, the panel of judges, presided over by Judge Lalu
\nMariyun, rejected Bella's demand that PT Unilever and advertising
\nbureau JWT Adforce pay a total of Rp 1.12 billion (US$100,200) in
\ndamages for material and nonmaterial losses, because Bella had
\nfailed to give details of the demand.<\/p>\n
PT Unilever and JWT Adforce were ordered to pay Rp 100 million
\nfor material losses.<\/p>\n
\"As a large and reputable company, the accused (PT Unilever)
\nfailed to fulfill the principle of fairness and to act
\nprofessionally by tolerating the installment of a billboard
\nfeaturing the plaintiff, even though their contract had expired,\"
\nLalu Mariyun told the court.<\/p>\n
Bella lodged her lawsuit in October last year after she saw a
\nbillboard with her picture on it in Bandung on April 17 last
\nyear. Her one-year contract with the company expired on Feb. 1,
\n2001.<\/p>\n
PT Unilever will appeal to a higher court, said lawyer Hardjon
\nSinaga during the hearing, which was packed with reporters and
\nonlookers.<\/p>\n
The firm believed it did no wrong because Article 2 of the
\ncontract stated that Bella would not ask for compensation should
\nthe company continue displaying the billboard featuring her after
\nthe contract expired, because it would take time for the company
\nto withdraw it.<\/p>\n
Bella and her team of lawyers could not hide their
\nexhilaration.<\/p>\n
\"People were pessimistic when I filed the lawsuit, but justice
\nhas been served. I accept the verdict. I hope giant companies in
\nfuture will be aware of their rights and obligations,\" said
\nBella.<\/p>\n
Bella, who was clad in a white shirt and black skirt, also
\ndrew attention from district court officials and visitors alike,
\nwho all clamored to get a glimpse of the young woman, whose star
\nappeal as a sinetron (TV soap opera) actress has in recent months
\nhas faded.<\/p>\n
Lalu pointed his fingers several times at Bella, who was on
\nthe first floor, to draw her attention.<\/p>\n
As she was busy being interviewed, the judge shouted to a
\nreporter next to Bella and told him to ask Bella to wave at him.<\/p>\n
Bella then waved her both hands at Lalu, who then waved back.<\/p>\n
Judge Lalu is also the presiding judge handling Hutomo \"Tommy\"
\nMandala Putra's murder trial, as well as the graft trial of
\nRahardi Ramelan, former chief of the State Logistics Agency.<\/p>\n
He was also the judge who acquitted Tommy from graft charges
\nin 2000 -- the verdict was later overturned by Supreme Court
\nJustice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita and two of his colleagues.<\/p>\n
Monday's verdict was a victory for local celebrities. It is
\nrare for a celebrity to win a lawsuit against a company for a
\ndispute over a contract.<\/p>\n
Several years ago, actress Jihan Fahira, a model for Nivea,
\nsued the producer, German giant PT Baiersdorf Indonesia, in a
\nsimilar case. However, the settlement details were not disclosed.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tv-actress-wins-lawsuit-against-unilever-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}