TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir said he has bagged candidate names for directors of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

“Inshallah, we will have names for Garuda directors today, and as for the commissioners, it will be set next week,” he said at his office, Jakarta, Friday, January 10.

However, Erick explained the names could not be announced yet given the series of processes and rules in the Indonesia Stock Exchange since the airline is a public company.

“While we as the shareholders also want to assure that the candidates are the right persons. But we have a certain process because it is a public firm, we don’t want to make other mistakes,” the minister remarked.

Previously, Garuda Indonesia announced it would inaugurate new leaders during the shareholders’ extraordinary meeting to be held early this year. The Indonesia Stock Exchange informed on Tuesday, December 17, that the meeting is scheduled for January 22, 2020, in Tangerang.

The plan was made after SOE Minister fired five airlines’ directors, namely president director Ari Askhara, service and technical director Iwan Joeniarto, cargo and business development director Mohammad Iqbal, human capital director Heri Akhyar, and operational director Bambang Adisurya Angkasa.

The dismissal was related to the smuggling scandal of Harley Davidson motorcycles and Brompton bike on board of Garuda Indonesia’s new aircraft Airbus A330-900 Neo from France on November 17. Until the shareholders’ meeting took place, Erick Thohir named Fuad Rizal as the acting director.

CAESAR AKBAR | BISNIS