Loke: Pay of all chairmen of statutory bodies and GLCs under scrutiny

PUTRAJAYA: The salaries of all the chairmen of statutory bodies and government-linked firms will be reviewed following revelation that the head of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) earned some RM85,000 a month.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said it was reported to him that in 2016, the Mavcom executive chairman’s monthly salary and allowance totalled RM78,300.

“There was a 3% increment in 2017 and a further 5% increment this year.

“So, he is earning about RM85,000 a month.

“That is more than what the Prime Minister earns. The Prime Minister’s basic salary is just about RM20,000.

“I have raised this during the Cabinet meeting this morning and the Prime Minister has directed the Chief Secretary to the Government to review all salaries, not just the Mavcom chairman but those of other statutory bodies or GLCs,” he told reporters here yesterday.

The current Mavcom executive chairman is Gen (R) Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad.

Loke said at present, there was no plan to abolish Mavcom like what it did with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

He also confirmed that SPAD chairman Tan Sri Isa Abdul Samad tendered his resignation two days ago.

On the missing MH370 plane, Loke said the final report on its four-year hunt would be published in July.

“I wish to urge the joint independent investigation team for MH370 led by Malaysia to finalise the final report in the near future – to be published by July, hopefully,” he said.

The report, said Loke, would first be given to families and the next-of-kin of the passengers before it is made public.

The latest search for the plane, led by US-based company Ocean Infinity, ended on Tuesday without any positive result.

Ocean Infinity and the Malaysian Government had agreed on a “no cure, no fee” deal to search for the plane after the first official search by Malaysia, China and Australia was suspended in January 2017.