Former Merpati Employees Ask Government To Pay Severance Payments Of Rp318 Billion

The Former Merpati Pilots Association (PPEM). (Photo: VOI/Mary Handayani)

JAKARTA - Former Merpati Airlines employees asked the government to provide bailout funds to pay severance pay of Rp318 billion for 1,233 people. Even though Merpati had stopped operating in 2014.

The attorney for the Advocacy Team for the Ex Merpati Pilot Association, David said, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir would prioritize severance pay, but referring to the Bankruptcy Law it is not a priority.

"Now we want to see how the solution from the statement of the Minister of SOEs (Erick Thohir) who said he did not want to abuse employees by selling assets," he told the media crew, Thursday, June 23.

According to David, the former Merpati Airlines pilot preferred a bailout rather than waiting for Merpati's assets to be sold.

Because, if you wait for assets to be sold, it will take longer, it can reach 5 to 6 years.

"If following the Bankruptcy Law we are not a priority, it means that the state has to use its rights, its power is bailed out first, but once again I say the assets are in the hands of the government and will be synergized with other airlines," he said.

Moreover, said David, when assets are sold, those who will receive funds from the sale of assets are parties holding collateral such as PT PPA, Bank Mandiri, Pertamina and many more.

According to him, this is in stark contrast to the SOE minister's request not to be unjust to former Merpati Airlines employees.

"This severance pay is their own sweat, their sweat is their right not the actual debt. So please philosophy that the severance pay is a right, not a debt, not a corporate action, what they are asking for is their right," he said.

Previously, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir said PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines (Persero) or Merpati Airlines was indeed a company targeted for closure.

This is in line with the bankruptcy decision issued by the Commercial Court (PN) of Surabaya, East Java.

"Merpati asked Mr. Yadi (President Director of PT Perusahaan Pengelola Asset (Persero) or PPA). The point is that Merpati of the seven companies that have been targeted to be closed, one of them is Merpati," he said after a Working Meeting with Commission VI, at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, 7 May.

Erick said that PT Danareksa (Persero) and PPA were tasked with fixing bad companies until they were liquidated. Moreover, many have not been operating for a long time.

"Don't let us be cruel to workers who are adrift. It is better to solve it. Of course, the assets that we are still using, we will synergize. For example, Merpati has maintenance, it can be synergized with Garuda or Pelita Air, we can do that," he said. .