The Week In Review: Garuda averts flight chaos

Well-prepared contingency plans and the Garuda Pilots Association’s decision Thursday to cut its strike to only half a day, instead of 24 hours as originally planned, after mediation by State-owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar averted severe flight-service disruptions that would have seriously damaged the national flag carrier’s reputation.

Garuda management and the pilots association agreed to continue their negotiations to resolve their differences over the hiring of foreign pilots and a perceived remuneration disparity between domestic and foreign pilots.

Hundreds of pilots went on strike Thursday morning over a pay dispute, but only several flights had to be cancelled or delayed because of well-prepared contingency measures.

The contingency program included the mobilization of pilot instructors and senior pilots already working in management back into the cockpits.

The strike by about 600 of almost 900 pilots that Garuda employs was caused by the management’s refusal to meet the demand of the Garuda Pilot Association that their basic salaries are made on par with the 34 foreign pilots. The company said the foreign pilots had been hired on an annual contract basis to fulfill a cockpit-crew deficit caused by the rapid expansion of the airline’s fleet.

Garuda, which has recorded tremendous achievements over the past five years, won several international service awards and has steadily netted handsome profits. The airline presently runs 365 flights daily to domestic and international destinations out of its main Soekarno-Hatta service hub.

Local pilots claimed they earn up to 30 percent less than their foreign counterparts, but Garuda management clarified that domestic pilots, as permanent employees, take home Rp 860 million (US$101,480) annually, including Rp 47.7 million in monthly salaries, bonuses and allowances.

Foreign pilots, who work under a one-year contract and do not receive fringe benefits and bonuses, are paid only Rp Rp 826 million plus a $1,200 monthly housing allowance.

Garuda chief executive officer Emirsyah Satar promised to resolve the dispute with the pilots over the employment of foreign pilots before the end of next month.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is also facing a minor crisis of credibility and integrity after fugitive graft suspect, former Democratic Party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin, alleged that three of its senior executives had colluded with corruption suspects.

Media headlines throughout the week were dominated by corruption allegations shot by Nazaruddin from his overseas hideout. The accusations implicated not only leaders of the ruling Democratic Party, but also the KPK.

The credibility of the KPK, which is supposed to be the superbody in charge of combating corruption, came under serious question after the former Democratic Party treasurer alleged that KPK vice chairman Chandra M. Hamzah and KPK senior investigator Ade Rahardja and spokesman Johan Budi colluded with graft suspects.

KPK Chairman Busyro Muqoddas immediately set up an internal ethics committee to investigate the officials mentioned by Nazaruddin, but many are doubtful the committee would be truly objective and determined to probe deeper into the roots of the allegations because the committee was controlled by acting and former KPK officials.

Both Chandra and Ade dismissed Nazaruddin’s allegations. But Johan admitted he had once accompanied Rahardja at a lunch meeting with Nazaruddin at a Japanese restaurant in South Jakarta in January last year, but he did not understand what they discussed during the meeting. Johan added that two House lawmakers also joined the meeting, but said he did not recognize them.

The national police have long been perceived of being pitifully weak and timid in dealing with people involved in religious mob violence.

Public prosecutors and judges also earned the same notorious reputation after the Serang District Court in Banten on Thursday meted out sentences of only between three to six months in jail for 12 defendants involved in killing three Ahmadis in Cikeusik in early February.

The controversial verdicts, which were slightly lighter than those demanded by the prosecutors, triggered a storm of criticism from international and national human rights defenders.

The charges and sentencing demands made by the prosecutors and the arguments presented by presiding judge Cipta Sinuraya clearly showed that “the hands of court justice had been under tremendous pressure in handling the case.”

Bank Indonesia, the nation’s central bank, this week significantly increased its distribution of bank notes to commercial banks around the country in anticipation of larger demand for cash from people in welcoming the Idul Fitri festivities, the week-long celebrations after the end of the one-month Ramadhan fasting month that begins on Monday.

The central bank said it had prepared Rp 106.86 trillion (US$12.57 billion) in bank notes of various denominations to be distributed to banks across the country during the next three weeks.

Muslims traditionally give cash donations to family members and the poor during the holy month.

State-owned oil firm Pertamina will also soon increase gasoline supplies, especially in Java, to meet the usually larger demand from motorists two weeks before the Idul Fitri celebrations.

There will be a huge exodus of residents from major cities to rural areas in Java as waves of tens of millions of Idul Fitri revelers will return to their roots to celebrate the religious festivities with family members in their native towns and villages.

— Vincent Lingga