DCA revamped to face challenges
Dept to be renamed Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia
BEIJING: Efforts to turn Malaysia into a leading aviation nation in the Asia-Pacific region will take off soon.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) is being transformed to ensure the country is able to face the challenges ahead.
The revamped department, which will be renamed the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, is expected to start operating on Feb 14.
Liow said it would have the flexibility in training and hiring more qualified technical staff to cater for the booming civil aviation industry.
“Human resource planning is fundamental in addressing the anticipated shortage of skilled personnel.
“With increased air travel, there will always be a need for more avi- ation personnel to manage and maintain a global air transport system,” he said here yesterday.
“The transformation is done in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation recommendations to set up an autonomous authority to ensure flight safety.”
Liow said Malaysia was also upgrading its Air Traffic Control Centre at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The upgrade, scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2019, will enable Malaysia to navigate 108 flights, compared to the current 78, per hour.
Those were among the topics Liow spoke on at the two-day inaugural Asia- Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation, which opened here yesterday.
Liow briefed the participants, among them transport ministers from over 30 countries in the region, on the initiatives and progress made by the Malaysian Government in elevating the standards of aviation services.
He said Malaysia had emerged as a regional hub due to a clear aviation policy and strong economic fundamentals.
Last year, Malaysia airports handled some 91.8 million passengers and one million tonnes of air cargo.
“With a comprehensive policy covering all key aspects of aviation, focusing on growth areas, strategic development objectives, long-term strategies and transformational approaches, Malaysia aspires to be a leading aviation nation in the Asia-Pacific Region,” said Liow.
At the conference, he also noted that Malaysia had assisted other nations in training aviation personnel, via the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme conducted by the Malaysian Aviation Academy.
The academy has, to date, trained nearly 400 aviation personnel from 74 countries.