KUALA LUMPUR (May 26): Former Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who is a former member of the steering committee that set up the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), came out today in defense of the commission facing criticism for imposing a regulatory service charge (RSC) of RM1 on all passengers except those using the Rural Air Services (RAS), starting May 1.

In a statement today, Abdul Gani said one of the main reasons Mavcom came into being was because the civil aviation landscape was evolving at an accelerated pace and there was an urgent need to ensure that consumer protection and the rights of passengers were made priority and would not fall through the cracks.

"As an independent regulator, Mavcom has been entrusted with the responsibility to provide a mechanism for the protection of consumers in the civil aviation industry in Malaysia," he said.

"Today, travellers who have complaints over automatic add-ons by airlines, post-purchase price increase of tickets, flight delays or even damaged baggage, they can go to Mavcom. Their complaints have to be responded to within a set timeframe of seven days and resolved within 30 days.

"There is no longer a need to rely on the mercy of commercial entities or being unsure of exactly when conflicts can be resolved," he added.

"For passengers to contribute RM1 only when departing from a Malaysian airport seems like a sound investment for peace of mind. Moreover, passengers using the RAS in Sabah and Sarawak are exempted from this charge," noted Abdul Gani.

Abdul Gani also said it is erroneous to suggest that Mavcom is taking over the roles of the Ministry of Transport and the Malaysia Competition Commission because neither of these bodies offer such service.

The Malaysian Public Transport Users Association yesterday released a statement saying it does not make sense for a commission empowered to protect user interest to be concerned about being self-sufficient.

“Mavcom is created to protect users, and now Mavcom is charging the same users to protect them. This is akin to 'protection money'," its president Ajit Johl alleged.

Noting that Mavcom was issued an initial grant to start operations in March 2016, the transport users group also called on Transport Minister Anthony Loke to open the books of Mavcom and make its accounts available to the public.

Abdul Gani said Mavcom is an independent self-sustaining regulator that does not in any way have an impact on the cost incurred by the government nor the size of the government.

"I cannot emphasise enough the need for Mavcom. Consumers today are faced with a multitude of situations where their rights are violated. We need an independent entity to look out for us.

"I am sure consumers who have engaged Mavcom with their grouses will attest to the importance of having an independent commission to intercede on their behalf," he added.

In August last year, then deputy transport minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi had announced that Mavcom will charge a RM1 fee on all international passengers departing from Malaysian airports in 2018 after the government ceased funding the commission’s operations.