Anthony Loke: Steps taken to strengthen checks on aviation personnel including pilots and cabin crew

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia are enhancing checks on aviation personnel after a Malaysia Airlines pilot was linked to a drug syndicate.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated the ministry is cooperating with police investigations, offering necessary access to facilities and personnel.

Malaysia is also assisting flights bound for Jakarta by serving as an alternate airport due to volcanic ash, according to CAAM CEO Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) are taking steps to strengthen checks on pilots, cabin crew and other aviation personnel following the case involving a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) pilot linked to an international drug trafficking syndicate.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that was the least they could do now, as the MOT was not privy to details of the police investigation, including the identities of suspects or any arrests made, as the matter was being investigated as a criminal case.

“I’m still not privy to the details…We have read that several arrests have been made, so it is better for the police to be the one making further announcements on the matter,” he said when asked at a press conference held in conjunction with the 61st Directors General of Civil Aviation Conference for the Asia-Pacific Region (DGCA/61) here today.

Loke said MOT would definitely provide full cooperation to police, including access to airport facilities and any information or personnel required for the investigation.

“The investigation is under the police. They have no obligation to inform us or to discuss with us the progress of the investigation, but we will give our cooperation by providing whatever information or access is needed, whether to our facilities or airports, as well as any personnel they want to interview or investigate,” he said.

Last Sept 4, Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said police have arrested six local men suspected of involvement in an international drug trafficking syndicate linked to the arrest of a Malaysian co-pilot in Jakarta last July.

The arrests followed information obtained from the 39-year-old co-pilot during questioning by an NCID team sent to Jakarta from Aug 11 to 15.

Media reports previously stated that the co-pilot was arrested at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 25 kilogrammes of drugs and that the Indonesian National Police (POLRI) reportedly seized 15 packages containing 70,114 ecstasy pills and methamphetamine, with an estimated value of RM45 million.

Meanwhile, on flight diversions following the volcanic ash in Jakarta, CAAM chief executive officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud said Malaysia was assisting by serving as an alternate airport for flights originally bound for Jakarta.

“For Malaysia, we assist them as an alternate airport. So, some aircraft inbound to Jakarta are being diverted to KLIA, so we are supporting them in that respect,” he said. — Bernama

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马来西亚航空公司一名飞行员与贩毒集团有关联后，马来西亚交通部和民航局正在加强对航空人员的检查。

交通部长陆兆福表示，交通部正在配合警方调查，并提供必要的设施和人员协助。

据马来西亚民航局首席执行官拿督诺拉兹曼·马哈茂德上尉称，由于火山灰的影响，马来西亚也为飞往雅加达的航班提供备用机场。

吉隆坡，9月7日讯——马来西亚交通部和马来西亚民航局正在采取措施，加强对飞行员、机组人员和其他航空人员的检查。此前，一名马来西亚航空公司（MAS）飞行员被曝与一个国际贩毒集团有关联。

交通部长陆兆福表示，这是他们现在所能做的最起码的事情，因为交通部无法获知警方调查的细节，包括嫌疑人的身份或任何逮捕行动，因为此事正在作为刑事案件进行调查。

“我目前还不了解详情……我们了解到已经有多人被捕，所以最好还是由警方就此事发布进一步声明，”他在今天与亚太地区民航总局第61届会议（DGCA/61）同期举行的新闻发布会上被问及此事时说道。

陆兆福表示，交通部一定会全力配合警方调查，包括使用机场设施以及提供调查所需的任何信息或人员。

他说：“调查由警方负责。他们没有义务告知我们或与我们讨论调查进展，但我们将提供一切必要的信息或权限予以配合，无论是进入我们的设施还是机场，以及配合他们询问或调查任何人员。”

去年 9 月 4 日，武吉阿曼警察总部毒品刑事调查部 (NCID) 主任拿督侯赛因·奥马尔·汗表示，警方逮捕了六名当地男子，他们涉嫌参与一个国际贩毒集团，该集团与去年 7 月在雅加达逮捕一名马来西亚副驾驶的案件有关。

此次逮捕行动是根据国家调查局 (NCID) 于 8 月 11 日至 15 日派往雅加达的小组在讯问 39 岁的副驾驶时获得的信息进行的。

媒体此前报道称，这名副驾驶在苏加诺-哈达国际机场 3 号航站楼被捕，他涉嫌试图走私 25 公斤毒品。据报道，印尼国家警察 (POLRI) 查获了 15 个包裹，内含 70,114 粒摇头丸和冰毒，估计价值 4500 万令吉。

与此同时，针对雅加达火山灰导致的航班改道问题，马来西亚民航局首席执行官拿督诺拉兹曼·马哈茂德上尉表示，马来西亚正在协助雅加达，作为原定飞往雅加达航班的备用机场。

“对于马来西亚，我们作为备用机场为他们提供协助。因此，一些飞往雅加达的航班被改道至吉隆坡国际机场，我们在这方面为他们提供支持。”他说道。——马新社

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调查显示，父亲从未参与过扎拉的尸检。