TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The president director of PT Sriboga Ratu Raya, the holding company of PT Sarimelatia Kencana, who runs Pizza Hut franchise in Indonesia, Alwin Arifin said his company will not sue Tempo in relation to its weekly magazine investigation on September 5 edition.
Alwin claimed that he previously had thoughts about taking the case to the court. “I will not take it to court, but I want to give [Tempo] a lesson,” Alwin Arifin said in a press conference at Sultan Hotel Jakarta, Sunday, September 4, 2016.
Tempo magazine has published investigation results on the alleged use of expired ingredients by Pizza Hut. Some 14 expired ingredients had allegedly been used by Pizza Hut for over three years until April 2016.
Tempo even found that an ingredient’s shelf life had been extended for six months after its expiry date. Alwin said he used to appreciate Tempo magazine. However, the reports about Pizza Hut have made him disappointed.
The Pizza Hut boss considers Tempo’s allegations of the use of expired ingredients baseless. He is adamant that the company has always been using proper ingredients. According to Alwin, ethics are important to business; both in the food sector and the media.
He claimed that no Pizza Hut’s costumer had ever suffered food poisoning in its 30 years of operation in Indonesia. Alwin said Pizza Hut would be the victim should Tempo publishes its investigation results. He has urged Tempo to apply ethics in business.
According to Alwin Arifin, Tempo magazine should not publish news for its own popularity. “Who is the immoral one, us or the magazine?” he said.
DANANG FIRMANTO
