Tomy Winata
Tomy Winata | |
|---|---|
| Born | Guo Shuo Feng July 23, 1958 Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Banking, real estate, infrastructure, environmental conservation |
Tomy Winata (; born Guo Shuo Feng on 23 July 1958) is an Indonesian entrepreneur with diversified interests spanning banking, real estate, and infrastructure. A portion of his fortune is attributed to his commercial engagements with the Indonesian Military. His charitable initiatives emphasize environmental protection, particularly through the Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation, a 45,000-hectare sanctuary for endangered species located in southern Sumatra.
In 2006, Winata was positioned at number 35 on Forbes' ranking of "Indonesia's 40 richest," with an estimated net worth of $110 million. A decade later, in 2016, GlobeAsia placed him 43rd among the 150 wealthiest Indonesians, valuing his assets at $900 million.
Early life
Winata was born in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, though accounts of his early years differ. Some narratives depict him as originating from a financially disadvantaged family, leaving school after seventh grade to support his household by selling frozen treats. According to The Washington Post, he started working as a "car washer and office boy." Researcher Sam Setyautama identifies Bisri Artawinata, a village chief in Takokak, Sukabumi, West Java, as his adoptive father. Conversely, Joe Studwell reports that Winata’s biological father was involved in constructing army barracks. Winata himself highlights his humble beginnings involving selling ice lollies and washing vehicles.
Business career
Winata embarked on his entrepreneurial path at age 15 in 1972 by building military offices and barracks across West Kalimantan and other regions, establishing close relationships with the Indonesian military. His rise has been connected to alliances with influential figures such as General Tiopan Bernard Silalahi, who served as secretary general of the Mining and Energy Ministry during President Suharto’s administration.
His business ventures grew under the Artha Graha Group umbrella. In the late 1980s, Winata gained national attention by collaborating with the Army’s Kartika Eka Paksi Foundation to salvage Bank Propelat, a military-affiliated bank facing closure due to financial losses. In 1987, he joined forces with partner Sugianto Kusuma (Aguan) to restructure the bank; the Army took a 40% stake without cost, while Winata and Aguan each acquired 30%. The institution was subsequently rebranded as Bank Artha Graha.
During 1997, in coordination with Bank Indonesia, Winata orchestrated a bailout for Bank Arta Prima, which later merged with Bank Artha Graha. By 2003, the Artha Graha Group had purchased publicly listed Bank Inter-pacific; two years later, this entity absorbed Bank Artha Graha to form Bank Artha Graha Internasional (INPC.JK).
In real estate, Winata controls PT Jakarta International Hotels and Development (JIHD.JK), proprietor of the Borobudur Hotel in Central Jakarta, and PT Danayasa Arthatama (SCBD.JK), which owns the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), home to the Indonesia Stock Exchange headquarters. He has announced plans for the Signature Tower Jakarta—a 111-story skyscraper projected to rank among the tallest globally—aiming to establish SCBD as Indonesia’s equivalent of Manhattan.
Within infrastructure development, through PT Bangungraha Sejahtera Mulia, Winata secured support from governors of Banten and Lampung provinces to spearhead investment in the Sunda Strait Bridge project—Indonesia’s most ambitious infrastructure proposal valued around US$10 billion with an estimated completion period of eight to ten years. The joint venture PT Graha Banten Lampung Sejahtera (GBLS) was created to conduct feasibility assessments. Nevertheless, President Joko Widodo halted the project in 2014.
Winata’s international operations include ventures in Timor Leste where he obtained governmental approval to construct a hotel and retail complex without undergoing competitive bidding procedures.
Apart from lawful enterprises, Winata is reportedly among Jakarta’s so-called "nine dragons," a group alleged to wield influence over illegal gambling activities within the city. In 2000, then-President Abdurrahman Wahid commanded his arrest related to gambling operations aboard a cruise ship; however, law enforcement refrained from action due to lack of sufficient evidence. While denying involvement in unlawful conduct publicly, Winata has admitted that gambling businesses operate under protective conditions.
On the philanthropic front, he established the Artha Graha Peduli Foundation (AG Peduli), which dedicates its efforts toward disaster response, humanitarian aid addressing food security, educational and healthcare programs, environmental preservation initiatives, support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and providing legal assistance for marginalized groups.
Political alliances
Winata has maintained longstanding relationships with Indonesia's political leadership, tracing back to the Suharto period, during which the ruling family was nicknamed 'Cendana' after their Central Jakarta residence. He recognized that ethnic Chinese business groups thrived under the patronage system of Suharto's New Order administration but observed that the business environment grew more intricate following its 1998 downfall.
He committed to supporting whichever government held power. Winata had established links with former president Megawati Sukarnoputri through her spouse Taufiq Kiemas, and also maintained connections with Megawati's successor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, via Bank Artha Graha’s former president commissioner T.B. Silalahi, a prominent advisor to Yudhoyono. Economist Faisal Basri indicated that Winata contributed financially to both leaders’ campaigns. Winata himself stated:
Christian Chua’s 2008 publication Chinese Big Business in Indonesia: The State of Capital asserts that Winata’s enterprises gained advantageous treatment through political patronage. Economist and future finance minister Chatib Basri referred to it as an "open secret" that cigars and luxury products at Winata’s Borobudur Hotel benefited from tax exemptions, resulting in lower prices.
In 2019, Indonesian news outlets reported Winata’s support for President Joko Widodo’s re-election bid, although some analysts speculated this backing might negatively affect Widodo’s popularity.
Winata also attempted to exert influence within United States politics. In late 1995, he requested fundraiser Yah Lin “Charlie” Trie to arrange a private audience with President Bill Clinton. When this was not possible, Trie offered Winata a seat beside Clinton at a February 1996 fundraising event in Washington, DC, which Winata declined, opting to send two representatives instead. Trie sought financial contributions for the event; Winata transferred $200,000 through his aide Santosa Gunara. An FBI report later disclosed that Trie diverted some of these funds toward illegal donations to the Democratic National Committee and reimbursements connected to Clinton’s legal defense fund.
Environmentalism
Winata manages a rescue facility dedicated to the critically endangered Sumatran tiger at Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation (TWNC) located in Lampung Province, Sumatra. This center specializes in reintroducing "conflict tigers"—animals involved in attacks on humans—back into their natural habitat. TWNC has successfully released five Sumatran tigers alongside other protected wildlife such as crocodiles and turtles. The conservation area encompasses 45,000 hectares of forest and an additional 14,500 hectares designated as marine protected zones.
In March 2013, together with the Bali Mangrove Care Forum, Winata appointed football icon Cristiano Ronaldo as Ambassador of Mangroves to advocate for mangrove preservation and reforestation efforts across Bali.
Additionally, Winata collaborated with Indonesia’s National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) to initiate a drug rehabilitation program that integrates environmental conservation activities at TWNC. This project aids former drug users in rebuilding their lives through participation in conservation work and eco-tourism initiatives. The program was presented by Winata at the 2013 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Annual Meeting, earning commendation from UNODC Executive Director Yuri Fedotov, who encouraged other countries to consider adopting the TWNC approach.
Tempo defamation lawsuit
Winata became the central figure in a notable defamation dispute with Tempo after the publication questioned his alleged role in the February 2003 fire at the Tanah Abang textile market in Jakarta. Shortly after the article’s release, unidentified assailants assaulted Tempo's office. Winata commented on how easily decisions could be swayed within Indonesia’s democratic framework, attributing this to financial hardship.
He initiated libel proceedings against PT Tempo Inti Media and several key personnel, including editor-in-chief Bambang Harymurti and journalists. On 16 September 2004, Harymurti was convicted of "defamation and false reporting" and sentenced to one year imprisonment; however, reporter Ahmad Taufik and editor Iskandar Ali were acquitted. The court mandated that Tempo issue a public apology and imposed a fine of 500 million rupiah (approximately US$59,000), citing an imbalance in presenting both perspectives. This verdict was subsequently reversed upon appeal.
The lawsuit sparked significant backlash as an infringement on press freedom in Indonesia, with BBC News expressing apprehension and Amnesty International designating Harymurti as a prisoner of conscience. On 9 February 2005, Indonesia’s Supreme Court annulled Harymurti’s conviction, underscoring the necessity to safeguard journalistic work.
Connection with SBY
A leaked diplomatic cable characterized Winata as having "a specially close relationship" with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, alleging he headed a criminal network known as "The Gang of Nine" or "The Nine Dragons". The document also accused Winata of channeling funds to Yudhoyono for "questionable political purposes". Winata rejected these claims, dismissing them as rumors propagated by political adversaries and remarked, "I would prefer to lick your shoes [...] than for you to believe the WikiLeaks rumors." He affirmed that his association with the President was equivalent to that of any ordinary citizen.
Travelers checks controversy involving Bank Indonesia
Reports from Indonesian media implicated Winata’s Artha Graha Group in supplying travelers checks that were allegedly used in 2004 to bribe officials for Miranda Swaray Goeltom’s appointment as Senior Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia. Miranda refuted any acquaintance with the owner of Bank Artha Graha.