Hary Tanoe to Appeal Rp531 Billion Fine Ruling to Jusuf Hamka

MNC Group will appeal the Central Jakarta District Court decision regarding a lawsuit filed by PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Tbk (CMNP), owned by Jusuf Hamka.

In its ruling, MNC and its owner, Hary Tanoesoedibjo, were ordered to pay approximately Rp531 billion to CMNP.

MNC Group’s Legal Counsel, Chris Taufik, stated that the decision is not final and does not yet have the force of law.

He explained that the ruling cannot be enforced as an appeal is still possible at the High Court, followed by cassation, and even a review can be pursued.

“The Company will appeal the decision due to numerous irregularities in the ruling,” Chris said in a written statement on Thursday (23/4).

He detailed the irregularities, including that the party directly responsible for paying the NCD, namely PT Bank Unibank Tbk along with its board of directors, commissioners, and shareholders as the issuer of the NCD, was not sued.

“The party guaranteeing the NCD payment was not sued, yet the ruling burdens the defendants, who were merely brokers/arrangers, with the responsibility to pay,” he said.

“If Unibank had not been declared a Frozen Business Activity Bank on 29 October 2001, or 2 years and 5 months since CMNP received the Unibank NCD, payment would certainly have been made by Unibank,” he added.

He stated that the defendants had no involvement in the process of Unibank becoming a Frozen Business Activity Bank, as they were not managers/shareholders of Unibank.

Chris also mentioned that CMNP had already received payment from the state in the form of tax restitution in 2013.

“In addition to the substantive issues in the ruling that warrant further examination at the appeal level, the press release issued by the Central Jakarta District Court on 22 April 2026 also raises questions, as it mentioned the judges’ considerations while the decision had not yet been/been received by the Company; on 22 April 2026, the Company could only access the decretal part of the decision, without any considerations,” Chris said.

Previously, the entrepreneur and founder of the Perindo Party, Bambang Hary Iswanto Tanoesoedibjo alias Hary Tanoe, was ordered to pay a fine of Rp531 billion to the toll road company owned by Jusuf Hamka, PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada Tbk (CMNP).

This was based on the ruling in case number 142/Pdt.G/2025/PN Jkt.Pst, issued on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

“To order Defendant I [Hary Tanoe] and Defendant II [PT MNC Asia Holding Tbk (formerly PT Bhakti Investama Tbk)] jointly and severally to pay material damages of US$28,000,000 plus 6 percent interest per year from 9 May 2002 until fully paid,” reads the decretal part of the decision as quoted from the official release of the Central Jakarta District Court Spokesperson, Sunoto, on Thursday (23/4).

The panel of judges examining and adjudicating this case was chaired by Fajar Kusuma Aji with member judges Eryusman and Purwanto S. Abdullah. They were assisted by Substitute Registrar Min Setiadhi.

The plaintiff is PT CMNP with Defendant I Hary Tanoe, Defendant II PT MNC Asia Holding Tbk, Third Party Defendant I Tito Sulistio, and Third Party Defendant II Teddy Kharsadi.

Sunoto explained that this case is an unlawful act lawsuit related to a 1999 securities transaction, namely the exchange of Medium Term Notes (MTN) and bonds owned by the plaintiff with 28 Negotiable Certificates of Deposit (NCDs) issued by PT Bank Unibank Tbk, which later could not be cashed.