Was Malaysia Airlines ever declared bankrupt, asks union

kampring

PETALING JAYA: A union today asked if Malaysia Airlines was ever declared bankrupt, following Human Resources Minister Richard Riot’s claim that 3,600 retrenched workers could not seek any claims or justice through the court because the airline had gone under.

In a statement today, National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) president Ismail Nasaruddin said Riot appeared to be confused over the matter.

He added that the issue now was whether Malaysia Airlines had actually filed for bankruptcy.

If this was the case, he also asked why it had been allowed to operate with many senior members of management retaining their old positions with the new airline today.

“We would like to ask the minister if MAS was ever declared bankrupt to his ministry and the labour department. Was MAS also advised of this decision officially made by him claiming they are a bankrupt company?

“Furthermore, there was no bankruptcy notice served to all MAS board of directors by the courts or the insolvency department the last time our lawyers checked.

“Or was the minister merely trying to protect the airline because it belongs to Khazanah Nasional?” he said.

Ismail was responding to Riot’s comment today in which the minister had said the human resources ministry could not legally go after Malaysia Airlines as the company had declared bankruptcy.

Riot had also said that the ministry is not legally required to provide an explanation.

On Sept 21, Nufam had questioned the delay by the human resources ministry in referring the cases of the 3,600 laid-off workers to the Industrial Court.

Ismail said then that the former Malaysia Airlines workers had filed their cases with the ministry more than two years ago but there had been no progress.

Ismail added that Riot, as the human resources minister, had failed to adhere to the justice system for the workers who had suffered badly due to his decisions.

Ismail said Riot had reportedly supported Malaysia Airlines in its retrenchment exercise, saying it had been done fairly.

“These workers are merely demanding their rights through the legal system. Why is he preventing it?

“He cannot decide if the case has no merit as only the court can decide this.

“He is giving the impression that no company can also be brought to court by workers if these companies are all declared bankrupt,” he said, adding that the impression given by Riot was that such companies were given special protection.

Ismail asked how Riot was going to respond to other workers whose cases have been filed in court all these years. He also questioned why the department of industrial relations allowed cases to be filed then.

Ismail reiterated that the retrenchment cases must be left to the courts to decide, and that it was not the minister’s decision to make in his personal capacity.

“We are talking about the livelihood of thousands of workers and their families. We urge the minister not to tarnish the country’s existing labour legal system.

“From the beginning, he has said these workers will be given justice and that their welfare will be looked after. Today, his statement has changed dramatically.”

Ismail said Riot, with his recent remarks, had opened himself up to more questions involving thousands of other retrenchment cases in the country.

“We just wonder how he will explain to them after they have read his latest statement,” he added.

In June 2015, Malaysia Airlines announced that it was laying off 6,000 of its workers as part of a restructuring programme. Out of that number, 3,600 came under the union.

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Minister says hands tied over fate of 3,600 laid-off MAS workers

KUALA LUMPUR: Human Resources Minister Richard Riot finally broke his silence on the delay in referring the cases of 3,600 Malaysia Airlines (MAS) workers who were laid-off, saying the ministry is legally not required to provide an explanation.

Riot said as MAS had declared bankruptcy, the ministry could not legally go after the company.

“According to the law, as the company had declared bankrupt, we can’t go after it because it is no longer in existence,” he told reporters at a press conference here after the closing ceremony of the Asean Productivity Linked Wage conference today.

Riot said that legally the ministry would not be able to go after the individuals involved as MAS had been replaced by Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB).

He did not say exactly what will happen now and what the workers can expect.

However, he said, letters had been sent to the workers who had been laid off with a full explanation of the situation.

“Our ministry, through the Industrial Relations Department, has written 1,500 letters so far, out of the 3,600 individuals, with full explanations.

“Actually we are not required by law to give an explanation,” he said.

When questioned why it had taken two years for the case to be referred, Department of Industrial Relations director deneral Khalid Jalil said they had waited for the moratorium to be over.

“The last day of the moratorium (which details the transition of the business, property, rights, liabilities and affairs of MAS to MAB ) was May 24, so we could only act after that,” he said.

On Sept 21, the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) had questioned the delay by the human resources ministry in referring the case of the 3,600 MAS workers who were laid-off to the Industrial Court.

Nufam president Ismail Nasaruddin said the former MAS workers had filed their cases with the ministry more than two years ago but there had been no progress.

“Some might think the matter has already been resolved with the airline. The minister has not even referred the case.

“We demand that the ministry speed up the referral process of these 3,600 cases as they have been waiting for far too long,” he had said.

On June 15, MAS announced it was laying off 6,000 of its workers as part of a restructuring programme. Out of that number, 3,600 came under the union.

Ismail had said Nufam had approached the ministry but there had been no response. The most recent correspondence was on Sept 6, when Nufam sent a letter to the deputy minister and secretary-general of the ministry.

He was worried that the complete takeover process of MAS by Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB), expected next year, would result in those who were laid-off not receiving any compensation.

Meanwhile, Riot announced that the National Wages Index would only be published in December as there were “some elements” that needed to be refined.

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Buat dajal dengan crew hari2 crew sumpah mau crashland nanti.

Ismacun

Sanggup bankrup dr bg tambang murah kan, sekian