Bill on merging Mavcom with CAAM to be tabled next year

 

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said they are still investigating whether MYAirline had gone through proper procedures before being granted with an initial air service licence by Mavcom. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The transport ministry is expected to table a bill on the proposed merger between the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) into one entity during the first sitting of Parliament next year.

Minister Loke Siew Fook said it is now making all the necessary arrangements to merge the two regulators into one single entity for both technical and economic regulations.

“We need to amend both Acts together, first to repeal the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 and to amend the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia Act 2017 to combine their powers under CAAM.

“This is definitely a long process, not only in terms of amending the law but also in combining the operations.

“Our hope is that we can do it by next year,” he told reporters after gracing the Emirates and Batik Air Malaysia codeshare agreement today.

Commenting on the MYAirline issue, Loke said his ministry is still investigating whether the airline had gone through proper procedures before being granted with an initial air service licence (ASL) by Mavcom.

“That is something that Mavcom has to be answerable to and they have to be accountable in the process of granting the licence,” he added.

The Emirates-Batik Air Malaysia partnership will allow Emirates’ customers to access five domestic Malaysian cities and three regional Southeast Asia points operated by Batik Air via KLIA.

In line with the agreement, Emirates will place its code on Batik Air-operated flights to Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, Johor Bahru, Denpasar, Jakarta and Singapore, offering passengers a seamless travel experience using a single ticket.

Loke said the Emirates-Batik Air Malaysia collaboration will pave the way for Malaysia to leverage every opportunity to establish KLIA as the primary aviation hub that enhances regional connectivity.

“This partnership serves as a testament to the boundless possibilities that lie ahead for the aviation industry in Malaysia,” he said. - FMT