MNC Group's Response to Being Ordered to Pay Rp 531 Billion in Jusuf Hamka Lawsuit
PT MNC Asia Holding Tbk has responded to the Central Jakarta District Court decision that sentenced MNC Group chairman Hary Tanoesoedibjo and PT MNC Asia Holding Tbk to pay total damages of Rp 531.5 billion related to a lawsuit filed by PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada Tbk (CMNP), owned by Jusuf Hamka. MNC Group will file an appeal.
“The decision is not yet final, does not have the force of law, and cannot be enforced because an appeal can still be pursued at the High Court, followed by cassation, and even a review can be sought if any party is dissatisfied,” wrote MNC Group’s Legal Counsel Chris Taufik in his statement on Thursday (23/4/2026).
“The company will appeal the decision due to numerous irregularities, including that the party directly responsible for the NCD payment, namely PT Bank Unibank Tbk along with its Board of Directors, Commissioners, and Shareholders as the issuer of the NCD, and the party guaranteeing the NCD payment, were not sued, yet the decision burdens the Defendants, who were only brokers/arrangers, with the payment responsibility,” he added.
Chris stated that had Unibank not been declared a frozen bank on 29 October 2001, or 2 years and 5 months since CMNP received the Unibank NCD, the payment would certainly have been made by Unibank.
“There was no involvement from the defendants in the process of Unibank becoming a frozen bank because they were not managers/shareholders of Unibank,” he said.
He mentioned that CMNP had actually already received payment from the state in the form of tax restitution received in 2013. In addition, Chris questioned the press release from the Central Jakarta District Court regarding the decision.
“Besides the substance of the decision, which is worthy of questioning and further examination at the appeal level, the press release issued by the Central Jakarta District Court on 22 April 2026 is also questionable because it already mentioned the judges’ considerations while the decision had not yet been/not received by the Company; on 22 April 2026, the Company could only access the operative part of the decision, without any considerations,” he added.
As is known, Bambang Hary Iswanto Tanoesoedibjo or Hary Tanoe and PT MNC Asia Holding Tbk were sentenced to pay damages of USD 28 million and Rp 50 billion, or a total of Rp 531.5 billion. The sentence was handed down by the panel of judges related to the lawsuit filed by PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada Tbk (CMNP), owned by Jusuf Hamka.
This lawsuit decision was issued on Wednesday (22/4). The panel of judges examining and adjudicating this case was chaired by Fajar Kusuma Aji with members Eryusman and Purwanto S. Abdullah.
This lawsuit is registered under case number 142/Pdt.G/2025/PN Jkt.Pst. In this lawsuit, PT Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada Tbk (CMNP) is the Plaintiff.
Bambang Hary Iswanto Tanoesoedibjo as Defendant I, PT MNC Asia Holding Tbk as Defendant II. Then, Tito Sulistio as Additional Defendant I and Teddy Kharsadi as Additional Defendant II.
“In the Main Case: The Panel of Judges grants the Plaintiff’s lawsuit in part,” said the spokesperson for the Central Jakarta District Court, Sunoto, in his statement on Wednesday (22/4).
Sunoto said that Hary Tanoe and PT MNC Asia Holding were sentenced to pay damages of USD 28 million plus 6% interest per year from 9 May 2002 until fully paid. The judges also sentenced Hary Tanoe and PT MNC Asia Holding to pay damages of Rp 50 billion.
Here is the complete operative part of this lawsuit decision:
Declares that Defendant I and Defendant II have been proven to have committed an unlawful act that caused losses to the Plaintiff
Sentences Defendant I and Defendant II jointly and severally to pay material damages of USD 28,000,000 plus 6% interest per year from 9 May 2002 until fully paid
Sentences Defendant I and Defendant II jointly and severally to pay immaterial damages of Rp 50,000,000,000
Sentences Additional Defendant I to comply with and obey the decision
Sentences Defendant I and Defendant II to pay court costs of Rp 5,024,000
Rejects the Plaintiff’s lawsuit for the remainder.