PUTRAJAYA, Dec 13 — The move to merge the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) is to empower the latter as well as to strengthen CAAM’s financial position, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

He said CAAM’s financial capability was one of the factors which led to the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to downgrade Malaysia’s air safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2.

"One of the issues which led to the downgrade by the FAA was that CAAM does not have the financial capability to hire the best qualified technical personnel.

"When we do this merger, we want to make sure we empower them financially, to give CAAM more power in terms of setting the fees. In the long run, they can hire and pay at a better rate,” he told the media after the launch of #JOMTEKSI here today.

Loke said following the mandate from the Cabinet, his ministry would do all the necessary work in the next few months to bring the amendment to the Parliament.

He said the merged entity would serve the aviation industry better and CAAM would be the main regulator.

Yesterday, the Transport Ministry announced that the government will be consolidating the two entities, and that Mavcom’s main functions will be transferred to CAAM. — Bernama