KUALA LUMPUR: Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said the negative perception on Malaysia’s air safety needs to be addressed.
His comment was in relation to the US Federal Aviation Authority’s (FAA) audit report, which listed the Civil Aviation of Malaysia (CAAM) as a Category 2 Aviation Regulator.
Azmin said that the government needs to correct the perception although the drop in rating will not have a major impact on any particular airline from Malaysia. A Category 2 would mean that airlines licensed by CAAM will not be able to add new routes to and from the United States.
“The current slots, flights arrangements and routes are still as it is and they have not been revoked. The issue here is about perception as the concerns expressed by the authorities (FAA) are against the aviation regulators and not the airlines,” Azmin explained.
Azmin’s concerns were in relation to a statement issued on Monday night, in which CAAM chairman Captain Ahmad Ridzwan Mohd Salleh acknowledged that there were “shortcomings” in its performance as an aviation regulator, but stressed that plans were underway to address the findings of FAA’s audit.
For the record, the FAA carries out such audits of regulators who oversee the operation of flights into the United States. The audit covered areas of legislation, oversight, delegation of authority, and adequacy of the number of technical personnel employed by CAAM.
While CAAM is looking to address the findings of the report, it hopes the FAA will review its decision within the next 12 months.
Nevertheless, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that the government will take necessary corrective measures if it finds any flaws and inaccuracies within Malaysia’s civil aviation authority.
