PRESIDENT Director of PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Hotasi Nababan, has had to burn the midnight oil these days. How can he not. The company that he's leading is facing some tough problems. A number of company restructuring documents are on his work desk. A number of strategies have been prepared to improve the state-owned airline's performance.

Nababan has no other choice. Since 1997, Merpati's financial condition has never taken off. Their