Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
KUALA LUMPUR: The merger between the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) is progressing well, says Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
He said that since it was approved in Parliament in July last year, the relevant stakeholders had been in discussion to finalise reports and determine the date, as Mavcom is set to be dissolved.
“We have not decided on the date, hopefully it will be this year.
“There are still many elements such as staffing, salaries, and job scopes that need to be discussed.
“The group will aim to maintain standards or become even better post merger,” he told reporters during Mavcom’s appreciation lunch here yesterday.
According to Hasbi, Mavcom’s role will be incorporated into CAAM, and it will report to the Transport Ministry.
He added his ministry has been working to improve the local aviation industry by focusing on sustainability, safety and responsiveness to emerging issues.
“These include modernising airport infrastructure, attracting more international carriers, and investing in digitisation and sustainable aviation initiatives.
“We also acknowledge the current and upcoming difficulties that the aviation sector is facing – higher passenger traffic growth, rising demand for air travel, shifting consumer expectations, supply chain interruptions and global economic uncertainties,” he noted.
This year, Hasbi said some significant events that will take place and impact the aviation industry will include Malaysia chairing the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
“We will also be pursuing a seat on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council for the 2025 to 2028 term.
“Malaysia has made significant efforts to defend its ICAO Council Seat over the years, having been a member for six consecutive terms since 2007,” he said.
When asked about the delisting of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd
yesterday, Hasbi said it was for the betterment of the industry and would benefit all parties involved.
“The role of the airports will remain the same and the privatisation is aligned with the government’s commitment to continue fostering growth and innovation within the sector,” he said.
The airport operator was delisted from the stock exchange yesterday, marking the end of a 25-year run as a listed company.
It was successfully made private by the Gateway Development Alliance consortium.
On a separate note, Hasbi said despite delays in aircraft deliveries, Malaysia Airlines Bhd would continue moving forward.
“I understand that 20 planes have been ordered by them, and will be delivered from now until next year.
“The delays are beyond our control, but we know the airline has placed the orders and we hope with the addition of aircraft, we will see better results whether in flight schedules or passenger numbers,” he said.
Hasbi said the important thing was not to overuse or stress the aircraft, as safety should be the top priority.
“We are grateful that so far we’ve had no major safety concerns with our airlines or aircraft. We would rather be safe than sorry,” he added.
Meanwhile, an update on Mavcom’s enhanced Airline and Airport Performance Dashboard was given during the lunch.
It is due to be launched on April 1, and will feature an expanded range of flight performance data for both domestic and international flights, carrier performance trends, and the reasons for flight cancellations and delays.
Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the introduction of the enhanced dashboard represented a step in the right direction towards fostering a more self-regulated aviation industry in Malaysia.
“Our primary objective is to cultivate a more self-sustaining and self-regulated aviation industry.
“In doing so, we aim not only to continue effectively addressing consumer complaints but also to minimise them altogether – a reduction in complaints is a strong indicator of an industry that is maturing.”
