PETALING JAYA: A few setbacks should be resolved to ensure air travel can be effectively revived in most countries, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The Transport Minister said the setbacks included lifting quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers to most countries; gradually removing testing requirements, including allowing antigen tests for entry to some countries; and easing visa or entry permit requirements to most countries.
"Once these three elements can be resolved along with the reopening of borders worldwide, it should allow for an effective recovery of the aviation industry and directly benefit the people and economies worldwide," he said while attending the Future Aviation Forum 2022 in Saudi Arabia.
Dr Wee, who joined eight other counterparts from several nations in the inaugural forum, said Malaysia continues to give its commitment to supporting International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) efforts to fully and sustainably revive the industry.
In the forum, Dr Wee said that air transport was among the main contributors to economic growth in Malaysia through tourism and other industries.
"Since 2004, Malaysia’s transport sector has grown 5% and contributed 3.5% of our GDP.
"In 2018, the Malaysian aviation industry accounted for an average of US$5.2bil of the GDP."
He said "every country needs to play its respective role" to keep the aviation industry soaring and growing in a post-pandemic era by "readying connectivity, boosting prosperity and creating new job opportunities”.
He added that Malaysia was strongly supportive of the ICAO’s efforts and initiatives to make air travel safer and more secure, as well as continue to improve air travel and its facilities.
Dr Wee also said that Malaysia supported and applauded the role of ICAO’s Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) consisting of member states, international and regional organisations and industry players in counteracting the effects of Covid-19, as well as providing the way forward to air travel’s safe and sustainable recovery.
During the forum, Dr Wee said he also elaborated on Malaysia’s commitment to empowering research on bio-jet fuel as a source of eligible fuels.
"Malaysia aspires to see Crude Palm Oil (CPO) be included as an acceptable feedstock in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in the future.
"Malaysia recognises the importance of utilising Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in reducing carbon emissions from its operations as well as meeting the aviation industry's global aspirational goals," he said.
Dr Wee was one of the eight panellists who took centre stage in the forum, led by Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistics Service Saleh Naseer.
Others included Maldives's Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Aishath Nahula, Montenegrin State Secretary for Transport Zoran Radunobic, Seychelles Minister for Transport Anthony Gerard Derjacques, Saint Lucia Minister for Civil Aviation Alva Baptiste, Tunisian Minister of Transport Rabie Majidi and Zimbabwe Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Michael Madiro.
The forum, titled “Aviation's role in the post-pandemic, globalised world economy”, is the first for Saudi Arabia and is aimed to unite international leaders from the private and public sectors, international chief executive operators, and regulators to shape the evolution of international air travel and put forward new solutions.
With representatives from every continent expected to attend, the forum will host sessions, side events and networking across two days focusing on three core thematic pillars: passenger experience, sustainability and aviation business recovery post-Covid-19.
