Malaysia Transport Safety Board Bill is scheduled for tabling in parliament this June, with preparatory work now in its final stages.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Transport Safety Board (MTSB) Bill is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat this June.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed the timeline while winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address for his ministry.
He said the Cabinet has agreed in principle to establish the MTSB.
A dedicated Act must first be drafted to provide the board with its legal basis before full implementation can proceed.
Preparatory work is now being finalised through discussions with relevant ministries and agencies.
One of the main challenges involves coordinating the roles of existing bodies such as the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
Loke said all functions must be reintegrated in line with the government’s position.
This approach aligns with the Public Service Department’s stance against a large increase in new posts.
“This is to reduce the financial impact on the government,” he said.
He described it as one of the key challenges in setting up the new body.
In a separate development, Loke stressed that the Ministry of Transport has never closed its door to negotiations with any state government on infrastructure projects.
This includes developments involving ports and supporting facilities.
He said claims of federal government sidelining or discrimination against certain states were unfounded.
He attributed such accusations to misunderstandings about the project approval process.
“Do not make accusations that we are not giving due consideration,” Loke said.
He urged that genuine needs, such as unfunded breakwater construction, be raised for amicable discussion.
He added that any issues related to transport projects should be brought to the attention of the relevant ministry.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting resumes tomorrow.
