The Pelita-Garuda Merger Is Not Approved By The DPR, Dony Oskaria: We Respect Every Opinion

Danantara's Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dony Oskaria. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Danantara, Dony Oskaria opened his voice regarding the rejection of a number of members of Commission VI DPR RI regarding the plan to merge PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (GIAA) with Pelita Air.

Dony admitted that he appreciated every opinion, both from parliament and the public.

"I don't think I agree, of course there is a lot of opinion. We respect every opinion, both from the public and so on," he told reporters, at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday, September 24.

Even so, Dony emphasized that in the future the SOE roadmap will still target efficiency through the merger of companies with similar business lines.

"But indeed in the BUMN roadmap in the future, we don't want many companies to be scattered in one industry," said Dony.

Dony, who is now also the Acting Minister of SOEs, said consolidation was not only carried out in the aviation sector. A number of other sectors are also prepared for downsizing, ranging from BUMN works to insurance companies.

"Later, not only on airlines, but also later on, the work will be merged as well, the company installments will be the same way. We have many similar companies, but the scale is not big," he said.

For example, said Dony, Pertamina is directed to focus on the oil and gas business. Through the merger of similar businesses, he hopes that efficiency will be achieved and the performance of SOEs will be healthier.

"Later, the airlines industry must become an airlines industry. Pertamina will become an oil and gas company. So that's actually the roadmap that was built," he said.

Donny said the dynamics of pros and cons in policy are normal. Criticism, according to him, can actually be an input in improving the direction of BUMN consolidation.

"But on the way, of course there are pros and cons, of course every input is good for us to make it a better preparation in the process of improving and restructuring SOEs," he said.

Previously, a member of Commission VI of the DPR from the PDI-Perjuangan faction, Mufti Anam, admitted that he strongly disagreed with the planned merger or merger of PT Pelita Air Service with PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.

Mufti Anam conveyed his disapproval at the Hearing Meeting between Commission VI of the DPR and Garuda Indonesia, InJourney Airports, and IAS, Monday, September 22.

Based on his personal experience, Mufti assessed that Pelita Air's services were very good. Starting from the timeliness, cleanliness and food provided on the plane.

"About Pelita Air who wants to be combined with Garuda, I really don't agree with that. We are honest when we are pressed, when I no longer believe in Garuda, yesterday I took Pelita Air, yes, on time, it turned out, and also good, clean, service okay, food okay," he said.

Therefore, Mufti requested that the plan to merge Pelita and Garuda Indonesia be stopped. This is because he does not want Pelita to contract Garuda Indonesia's work culture.

"I don't want Garuda to hijack Pelita Air, which is already a good airline for our pride, then eventually it was damaged because of the work culture virus at Garuda Indonesia which has collapsed," he said.

Mufti bilang, Pelita Air saat ini juga sudah tidak membebani kinerja keuangan perusahaan induknya. Adapun Pelita Air merupakan anak usaha PT Pertamina (Persero).

“Karena sampai hari ini saya senang ketika setelah saya naik dan saya baca-baca portofolio keuangan ternyata sudah tidak membebani keuangan Pertamina lagi,” ucapnya.

“Nah maka kami tidak mau untuk bagaimana Pelita Air yang waktu itu dibentuk, dibuat diperbaiki untuk nagaimana menjadi alternatif maskapai kita kemudian jadi tidak baik karena adanya Garuda,” sambungnya.

Mufti said that Pelita Air is currently no longer a burden on the financial performance of its parent company. Meanwhile, Pelita Air is a subsidiary of PT Pertamina (Persero).

"Because until today I was happy when after I went up and I read the financial portfolio, it turned out that it was no longer a burden on Pertamina's finances," he said.

"Well, then we don't want to see how Pelita Air, which was formed at that time, was repaired to become an alternative for our airline, then it became not good because of Garuda," he continued.