Hotman Paris: Malaysian's Law NOT Valid in Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - For celebrity model Manohara Odelia Pinot, the verdict from the Kota Baru Syaria High Court, Malaysia, that compels her to return to Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Sultan Ismail and to pay RM 1,112,250 or approximately Rp. 3.1 billion to her husband, is not a loss. This was stated by Hotman Paris Hutapea, S.H., one of the legal representatives of Manohara, or often nicknamed Mano, in a press conference, Jakarta, Tuesday.

"Our answer is: it's not a loss. Because Mano never responded to the case in Malaysia, she never attended the trials because there's no guarantee for her safety there. If she went to Malaysia she wouldn't be able to come back, that's what she's afraid of."

Hotman continued, according to the law applying in Malaysia, the accused must be present at court, whether it's a civil or criminal charge. But, he highlighted, the rule is upheld in Indonesia.

"In Malaysia the accused must be present and cannot be delegated by an attorney. Whatever verdict was made in Malaysia, it doesn't apply in Indonesia and the case must be presented again. So whatever the babble is in Malaysia, it doesn't apply in Indonesia. It's just Tengku Fakhry's way of trying to get Manohara back. Our message is: live a new life, stop trying from Malaysia to get Manohara back."

Mano, who was present at the conference, admitted that she didn't think of herself as Fakhry's wife anymore. "The verdict is that I should return to Kelantan [the sultanate Fakhry is from] and pay RM 1.1 million, because it's considered a wife's debt to her husband. I feel that in Indonesia my status is not married to him, because my marriage was unorthodox."  Currently Mano is active in social events, but not in the showbiz.

As an Indonesian legal representative, Hotman explained, he cooperates with Malaysia just to consult regarding the Malaysian legal process. "I've only been asking about the procedures to the lawyers there. We're not employing [a Malaysian] lawyer. So it's just consultation. The main requirement is that the accused must be present at court. If not present then the accused loses. By the Malaysian law the main concern is to compel Manohara to be present at court. But if it were here [Indonesia] we would face them. But, obviously, Mano won't go to Malaysia." (C9-09/C17-09)