PUTRAJAYA: A special task force comprising eight technical and aviation experts will be set up to help the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) regain its top-notch status.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the task force would be led by former Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Kok Soo Chon and would comprise eight technical personnel and international aviation experts.
“They comprise four pilots, three engineers and a technical coordinator,” he told a press conference today.
The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) recently announced that it had downgraded the CAAM from its Category 1 status to Category 2 under the International Aviation Safety Assessment programme following an in-country appraisal in April 2019.
This puts Malaysia at the same level as Bangladesh, Ghana, Costa Rica, Thailand and Curacao.
Loke said Kok had the expertise to deal with the FAA as he was in charge when the US authority conducted an audit in 2003.
“The task force will report to me and members of the CAAM,” he said.
As its head, Kok will be responsible for coordinating the work of the task force and to lead the development and review process of the work plan. He will also oversee the full implementation of the work plan.
Loke said the task force would finalise all rectification work in 33 areas as highlighted by the FAA.
“The FAA will then be invited to conduct a re-assessment with the objective to return CAAM to Category 1,” he added.
Among other things, the CAAM will be required to review all current fees and charges and that required a transformation into a fully autonomous statutory body.
“One of the FAA findings is the inability of CAAM to get or retain experts because the salary scale does not meet market rates,” Loke said. “This is because the scale is tied to the government rate as it is still subsidised (by the government).”
CAAM needs RM350 million a year to operate but it earns only RM120 million.
He said he would ask the Public Services Department to put the CAAM pay scale apart from that of the government.
However, airlines also need to realise that higher charges would follow to enable CAAM to fulfil all its obligations.
He pointed out that the air service charges had not been revised since 2006. The new charges will be unveiled early next month.
