CAAM looking into Voo’s appointment, says Loke

 

Questions have been raised about the appointment of Chester Voo, who moved from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia to Berjaya Land. (Bernama pic)

SEPANG: The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) is looking into allegations of conflict of interest in the appointment of its former CEO, Chester Voo, as a member of its board.

Voo was with CAAM until December 2022.

He became Berjaya Land’s CEO of group aviation in February this year. A company statement at the time said he would oversee airlines under Berjaya: Berjaya Air, Asia Jet, and Rafflesia Airways.

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the legality of Voo’s appointment as a CAAM board member had been referred to the aviation regulator’s legal adviser.

On Tuesday, former Bukit Bintang MP Woo Chee Keong said the appointment of Voo, as an aviation executive, was a conflict of interest and violated the CAAM Act which states that “no person shall be a member of the Authority if he currently holds office or employment in or relating to aviation.”

Loke said Voo was appointed to the board based on his expertise and previous contribution to CAAM as group CEO from 2020 to 2022.

He said Voo helped restore CAAM to US Federal Aviation Authority’s Category 1 ranking on air safety, three years after being downgraded to Category 2 for lack of compliance with aviation safety standards.

“When he left CAAM as CEO, I considered appointing him back into the board of directors,” said Loke. “I appointed him knowing that he’s working with Berjaya. He was appointed by Berjaya Land, not Berjaya Air.

“He told me that his responsibility is Berjaya Land (and that he wouldn’t) oversee the day-to-day operations of Berjaya Air,” Loke said at a press conference at KLIA Terminal 1.

Voo has three decades of experience in the aviation industry and started off as a pilot for Malaysia Airlines. - FMT