Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd (Malindo Air) is ceasing all flight operations effective this month, and has asked most of its employees to go on unpaid leave from April.
Malindo Air chief executive officer Captain Mushafiz Mustafa Bakri said the measures were taken due to continuing nature of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and restrictions across its international markets owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I foresee the situation to be the same in early May. We may perhaps review the situation later in the month and in all possibility only operate a very limited number of flights,” he said in an internal memo to employees sighted by the New Straits Times (NST) today.
He said Malindo Air had to relook at its manpower requirements, citing that the airline was unable to generate any revenue to support its operations.
“Across the company, effective April, only individuals who are identified by your head of department will have to report for work and be paid on a daily wage basis for the work carried out on specific days, while others would be deemed to be furloughed with no pay,” he added.
Mushafiz said the non-operational departments would have to work with much reduced numbers.
“This policy will also continue into the next month or till such extended time when we revoke the same,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said Malindo Air will be waving all bond and notice periods, allowing its staff to voluntarily leave with no contract obligations.
“I am extremely sorry for the circumstances we currently find ourselves in. Sadly, we are unable to offer any tangible confidence for the time being.
“We have made representations to the Minister of Finance and remain hopeful that our appeal to the government for financial help to pay salaries will soon bear some positive response,” he said. – NST