Indonesian copyright damages

The heirs of Indonesian artist Henk Ngantung sued PT Fast Food Indonesia Tbk (KFC's Indonesian franchisee) for copyright infringement. The dispute arose from KFC's use of artwork which reproduced the iconic Tugu Selamat Datang (Welcome Monument) in Jakarta without consent. The artwork was originally created by Ngantung then made into the Tugu Selamat Datang (Welcome Monument) in Jakarta, completed in 1962.

The heirs, as rightful copyright holders now, claimed KFC used the artwork commercially without permission, violating their economic rights. They demanded over Rp 3.3 billion in material and immaterial damages.

The specific use of Henk Ngantung's sketch was on KFC's buckets. It was incorporated into the design of these containers as part of a promotional campaign celebrating KFC's 43rd anniversary in Indonesia. The artwork was used commercially to give the packaging a distinct, Jakarta-themed visual for the limited-time promotion.

The Jakarta Commercial court ruled in May 2025 in favor of the heirs, finding the KFC franchisee liable for infringing economic copyrights and ordered them to pay Rp 2.83 billion (USD170,000) in material damages. The defendant has appealed probably because the damages award is unusually high.