KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 22): A bill to establish a new statutory body to handle civil aviation matters was tabled in Parliament today. Known as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Malaysia, the new body will incorporate the existing Department of Civil Aviation.

The CAA Bill was tabled by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi, who also tabled an amendment to the existing Civil Aviation Act 1969, in order to facilitate the creation of CAA, increase the penalty for certain offences, and introduce the power to conduct safety regulatory oversight and issue safety directives, as required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

According to the CAA Bill, the new authority will consist of a chairman appointed by the transport minister, one representative each from transport and finance ministries, and another four to six members appointed by the transport minister along with a chief executive officer (CEO) as an ex-officio member.

These members, except CEO, will hold office for a term not more than three years and are eligible for reappointment for a maximum period of one consecutive term.

Since it is a statutory body, the CAA will have the power to “appoint and employ such number of employees as the authority thinks desirable and necessary and upon such terms as it considers appropriate”.

While the Bill does not require CAA to recruit through the Public Service Department (JPA), it mentioned that its employees or agents, while discharging their duties or performing their functions or exercising their powers under this Act “shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of the Penal Code”.

In terms of financial provision, a fund known as “Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia Fund” will be established and controlled by CAA itself.

The fund sources include monies provided from time to time by Parliament, fees, costs, financial penalties and other charges imposed by or payable to CAA.

“It shall be the duty of the authority to conserve the fund by so performing its functions and exercising its powers under this Act as to secure that the total revenues of the authority are sufficient to meet all sums properly chargeable to its revenue account for every financial year, including depreciation and interest on capital,” the bill read.