KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has requested the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reassess its classification of the Malaysian body into Category 2 Aviation Regulator within the next 12 months.

CAAM chairman Captain Ahmad Ridzwan Mohd Salleh said the classification was due to an FAA review carried out in April, as part of audits on regulators who oversee the operation of flights into the US.

“While CAAM acknowledges that in carrying out its duties as an aviation regulator, some shortcomings exist. We wish to emphasise that the assessment only covered CAAM’s role as an aviation regulator,” he said in a statement.

Ridzwan stressed that the categorisation is not an assessment of Airlines, Airports or Air Traffic Services that fall under its purview.

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“However, due to being listed as a Category 2 Regulator, airlines licensed by CAAM will not be able to add new routes to and from the United States.

“The assessment and subsequent categorisation by the FAA is solus and unilateral in nature, and within their rights as an ICAO member state,” he said.

With CAAM’s request for the review aimed at restoring it to Category 1, Ridzwan said that plans are already well underway to address the findings of the audit.

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The audit covered areas of legislation, oversight, delegation of authority as well as adequacy of the number of technical personnel employed by CAAM.

“We continue to contribute to the development and oversight of aviation via its seat on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council.

“CAAM remains fully in compliance with all ICAO standards and legislation, having been audited by ICAO as recently as the middle of 2019,” he said.

The chairman added that the Transport Ministry has been duly notified of these internal developments, and that CAAM is taking the FAA’s assessment constructively and has moved to make serious changes in its structure and operations.