The up to 8,000 MAS employees facing the axe in the national carrier’s restructuring plan promised a fair deal
Muller speaking to The Borneo Post after paying courtesy call on Adenan at the latter’s office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday. Seen on the left is Mohd Nor. — Photo by Lian Cheng
KUCHING: As the whole staff of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) numbering about 20,000 await the termination of their services in the national carrier’s complete restructuring exercise, those who would not be absorbed into its new setup were assured of a fair deal.
This assurance was given by chief executive officer Christoph Mueller to The Borneo Post yesterday after his courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.
“I can guarantee that it will be fair for everyone. Those not taken in will be given proper (lay-off) benefits. You can take my word for it,”
However, Mueller was tight-lipped on the number of former MAS staff members who would be absorbed into the new restructured airline insisting that the information could only be disclosed to unions and concerned authorities such as the state government.
It has been reported by the media that up to 8,000 of the total workforce would not be employed in the new airline.
Mueller said his management and administrative teams were in the midst of meeting various unions of MAS including those from Sarawak yesterday.
“As we speak, we have got the ECP (Employees’ Consultation Panel) that means that my management team together with the administrative arm are meeting all unions of MAS now literarily as we speak and that includes all unions from Sarawak. I will leave them to discuss and I will not discuss it today with the press,” said Mueller.
The MAS CEO disclosed that the airline would hold a press conference on June 1 in Kuala Lumpur to disclose the entire restructuring plan including the total number of staff who would be retrenched.
“I am not prepared to discuss any details but all information will only be provided to the unions and to be provided to the greater public next week Monday,” said Mueller.
Before joining MAS, Mueller was the CEO of Ireland’s Aer Lingus where he managed the airline in the same type of crisis by trimming the workforce and made the airline profitable again.
On the courtesy call on Adenan, Mueller who was accompanied by MAS chairman Tan Sri Mohd Nor Yusof, said the purpose was to brief Adenan on the airline’s restructuring programme.
“We want to inform him first-hand about our programme of MAS restructuring because we are vitally aware of the rumours. And we took the opportunity to update him on the impact on Sarawak which is predominantly good news.”
When pressed to elaborate on the good news, Mueller coyly answered that he would leave it to Adenan’s discretion to announce the good news.
However, it was likely that the visit by Mueller and Mohd Nor was originally to discuss state’s interest in buying over MAS subsidiary MASwings rather than to inform the chief minister of the airline’s restructuring plan as the date of the meeting was fixed before the announcement of the exercise.
Muller (second left) seen with Adenan during a courtesy call on the latter at his office in Kuching yesterday. Also seen are Mohd Nor (left) and Morshidi (right).
Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg had said in the State Assembly Sitting last month that Sarawak and Sabah were interested to take over MASwings on a 50-50 shareholding.
Meanwhile, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani said the State Government’s five per cent share in MAS had been sold back to Khazanah Nasional Berhad during the process of privatisation and delisting.
“The whole MAS restructuring exercise will not affect its flight services in Sarawak. Everything will still be going on as usual,” assured Morshidi.
A MAS employee when contacted said she was positive in facing the inevitable, “If it was for the good of the company, why not?”
She added that the company had always treated its staff properly and with dignity, not as reported in some national newspapers.
“In fact, MAS will provide re-training and re-skilling to enhance their capabilities and if we are not absorbed into the new company, MAS would assist us to seek new employment elsewhere,” she said.