Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – The judicial panel at the South Jakarta District Court granted the procedural objection, or exception, filed by Tempo in its civil case against Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, via an interim ruling on Monday, November 17, 2025.
The ruling stated, "The panel grants the Defendant's exception. The panel declares that the South Jakarta District Court does not possess the authority to adjudicate this case."
The judge additionally mandated the Ministry of Agriculture, acting as the plaintiff, to cover court expenses amounting to Rp240,000.
Tempo's winning legal arguments
In its exception, Tempo's legal counsel asserted that the South Jakarta District Court lacks the jurisdictional authority to preside over the matter because the underlying issue constitutes a press dispute governed by Law Number 40 of 1999 concerning the Press. Consequently, according to Tempo's legal team, the Press Council holds the appropriate mandate to resolve this type of conflict.
Tempo's legal team further highlighted that the plaintiff had not exercised their legally provided right of reply, utilized the right of correction, or filed a formal complaint with the Press Council, as explicitly required by the Press Law. In a separate objection, Tempo's counsel characterized Amran's lawsuit as an Unjustified Lawsuit Against the Press (ULAP), suggesting it arose from an apparent instance of bad faith.
Tempo's legal team also contended that the plaintiff lacked the requisite legal standing to file the civil claim. They grounded this argument on two specific points. First, the complaint previously lodged with the Press Council was submitted by Wahyu Indarto, not by the Minister of Agriculture himself. Second, the subject of the dispute – the published news – did not focus its reporting on the Plaintiff, but rather on the operations of Bulog (the State Logistics Agency) concerning the procurement of rice and/or unhusked rice.
Tempo's legal counsel also maintained that the lawsuit constituted an abuse of rights and was lodged with ill intent. They suggested that the demand for Rp200 billion in damages indicated potential intimidation.
Tempo's legal representatives confirmed that Amran's lawsuit was misplaced because the contested news report was disseminated by tempo.co, a subsidiary of PT Info Media Digital, and not by PT Tempo Inti Media Tbk. Tempo's team also argued that Amran, in his capacity as a minister, was not legally entitled to sue on behalf of ministry employees, Bulog, and Indonesian farmers without clear, explicit legal authorization.
Minister Amran Sulaiman's lawsuit
Amran filed the lawsuit against Tempo seeking Rp200 billion. He accused Tempo of engaging in unlawful conduct by failing to adhere to the Press Council's formal Statement of Assessment and Recommendation (PPR) concerning their cover story titled "Poles-poles Beras Busuk."
The controversial article, which featured a cover image of a rice sack and the headline "Poles-poles Beras Busuk," was promoted on social media platforms like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). The story detailed Bulog's efforts to purchase all farmers' unhusked rice at a single price of Rp6,500 per kilogram.
– Amelia Rahima Sari and Ervana Trikarinaputri contributed to the report