PUTRAJAYA is set to consolidate its aviation regulatory bodies, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) with two Bills to be introduced in the upcoming parliamentary session, said Anthony Loke.
Loke said the Cabinet approved the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Dissolution) Bill 2024 and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (Amendment) Bill on June 5.
These bills will be tabled during the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Fifteenth Parliament, scheduled from June 24 to Aug 1.
“The aviation industry’s regulatory body has been restructured and merged into a single entity to drive the development of the civil aviation industry in line with the government’s policy direction to be more competitive internationally,” Loke said at a press conference in Putrajaya on Thursday (June 13).
“With the merger of MAVCOM and CAAM, there will no longer be a need for separate approvals from two agencies. Instead, a single government entity will process applications for technical approvals and licencing.
“The reform also aims to reduce bureaucratic red tape and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the civil aviation service delivery system particularly in terms of licencing service.”
According to Loke, the merged entity will then be an independent statutory body under the Transport Ministry.
He said the merger is presently at the legislative stage and the actual consolidation of the two aviation authorities will commence later next year, pending another announcement.
“What I announced is that we will bring this Bill to Parliament. Parliament debating and passing this Bill does not immediately mean that MAVCOM will be dissolved,” he said, adding that it will take time for the merger to happen.
“MAVCOM’s staff will be absorbed into the new entity, so there will be no retrenchment, we will create positions within the entity and this will take at least a few months to be completed.”
Initially proposed by Loke in 2019, the MAVCOM-CAAM merger aims to streamline the country’s aviation oversight by integrating MAVCOM’s responsibilities in finance, commerce and economics with CAAM’s focus on technical aspects. – June 13, 2024
Main pic credit: Utusan Malaysia
