Former Garuda chief agrees with Ridwan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Wage Mulyono, former president of the national
\nflag carrier Garuda Indonesia, says the refusal by Merpati
\nNusantara Airlines president Ridwan Fataruddin to lease 16 CN-235
\naircraft was a managerially professional and correct decision.<\/p>\n
Mulyono, who was Garuda president until January this year,
\ntold the Sinar newsweekly that Merpati has the right to choose
\nthe type of aircraft it wants to operate on the basis of
\ncommercial viability.<\/p>\n
Mulyono was chief commissioner of Merpati, a subsidiary of
\nGaruda, during his three-year term as the chief of the national
\nflag carrier.<\/p>\n
\"The state-owned IPTN aerospace company has failed to market
\nits CN-235 airplanes even on the domestic market because the
\naircraft operations are not profitable. Many private companies
\nrefuse to use that aircraft,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Thorough studies should be carried out to ascertain the
\nreasons behind the gross inefficiency of the CN-235 aircraft,
\nMulyono added.<\/p>\n
Asked about the imminent dismissal of Ridwan as the president
\nof Merpati, confirmed by Air Transport Director General Sikado on
\nThursday, Mulyono strongly suggested that the government retain
\nRidwan in the position.<\/p>\n
\"Ridwan is a graduate of the Jakarta School of Economics of
\nthe University of Indonesia and has a lot of experiences in the
\nairline industry,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mulyono said that if Ridwan is replaced by a \"yes-man\" the
\neffect on the airline will be disastrous.<\/p>\n
\"Merpati will go bankrupt,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Director General Sikado told a hastily-convened press
\nconference on Thursday evening that Ridwan would soon be replaced
\nas Merpati chief for violating procedures in the construction of
\nMerpati's new head office in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Sikado said Ridwan's imminent replacement had nothing to do
\nwith his refusal to lease 16 CN-235s from PT Arthasaka Nusaphala,
\na company jointly-owned by the Bakrie and Humpuss business
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
However, Ridwan categorically denied Sikado's statement,
\nsaying that all the necessary procedures had been followed in the
\nconstruction of the office building.<\/p>\n
Ridwan, who has been working at Merpati for more than 26
\nyears, said that the building project was approved by Merpati's
\nshareholders (Garuda and government representatives) on Dec. 24,
\n1991. He added that he was not appointed Merpati president until
\nAug. 2, 1992.<\/p>\n
\"It was the Garuda chief who was responsible for notifying the
\nministers of transportation and finance about the building
\nproject,\" Ridwan said.<\/p>\n
In any case, he added, the finance minister, as the government
\nnominee shareholder in all state companies, had in fact approved
\nthe Merpati building project. (vin)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/former-garuda-chief-agrees-with-ridwan-1447893297",
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