Heads must roll, PM’s comm man says after US air safety downgrade
FMT Reporters
-November 13, 2019 10:01 AM
Top officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia speak to the press yesterday on the move by US authorities to downgrade Malaysia’s aviation safety.PETALING JAYA: The communications adviser to Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called for heads to roll after the downgrade of Malaysian aviation safety by US authorities, calling the development shameful in the run-up to next year’s Visit Malaysia campaign.
“It’s a double blow that it happened on the eve of the Visit Malaysia Year 2020 and when the government had just adopted aviation as one of the key drivers of the economy,” A Kadir Jasin said in a Facebook post.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently downgraded Malaysia’s air safety rating to Category 2, which among others subjects the country’s airlines to flight restrictions and more checks.
But the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said the move would not affect local airlines, airports or air traffic services.
It said some of the FAA findings, including on legislation, training and obligations, were “ambiguous”.
CAAM chairman Ahmad Ridzwan Mohd Salleh also denied that the recent resignation of CEO Ahmad Nizar Zolfakar was linked to the downgrade.
A Kadir Jasin.Kadir said both CAAM and the transport ministry must be held responsible.
“In fact, the entire aviation-related regulatory mechanism must be looked at. We cannot have civil servants and government appointees engaging in egoism and jingoism,” he said.
Currently, the only local airline serving a US destination from Malaysia is AirAsia X.
Kadir said it did not matter because the negative rating would affect “the whole spectrum of aviation”.
“I hope the government too will act quickly to address the situation and restore confidence,” he wrote.
