About 6,000 Malaysia Airlines (MAS) employees who will be laid off effective Sept 1, are expected to receive compensation from Sept 7.

Malaysia Airline System Employees Union (Maseu) president Alias Aziz said those who served more than 10 years would receive their one-and-a-half-month’s last pay multiplied by years of service.

“For those who served under 10 years, they are expected to receive one month’s final salary multiplied by years of service while persons with disabilities and husbands and wives who worked in the same company, one of them will receive an additional 30 percent,” he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

However, he said, that was the formula provided by the company in a letter to the individuals concerned without stating the amount of the compensation.

He said as of now, the formula was in accordance with the rules set and Maseu would re-examine it once the amount of the compensation was known.

Meanwhile, Alias said Maseu was in the process of setting up a cooperative in order to generate income and create new jobs for the former MAS employees.

He said so far, it was in the stage of preparing a community portal and was expected to be launched early September.

Alias said various activities had been planned including to obtain taxi permits, to engage in activites such as fishing and venture into business by using the compensation money.

“For those who are not interested in doing business, then we will help them to find whatever job that is suitable,” he said.

Alias also hoped that relevant government agencies including the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun) would come forward to provide financial assistance and advice to the employees in carrying out their new activities.   

He said Maseu would continue to fight for the rights of those who would be laid off.

The services of all 20,000 MAS employees were terminated on June 1 and offer letters were given to 14,000 of them to join the new Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) entity.

- Bernama