KUALA LUMPUR: Those appointed to the aviation commission under Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s restructuring plan for Malaysia Airlines (MAS) must be impartial and professional, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said.

The government must ensure the commission is free from influence by resisting appointments of those from within the local aviation industry or aviation-related bodies, he said in a statement yesterday.

“There is no use for the government to choose a chairman or committee members who are from the local aviation industry, government-linked corporations (GLCs) or the ministry.

“Those chosen must be truly impartial, not those who are working or have worked in the government or any GLCs like Khazanah Nasional, MAS or Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd,” he said.

Nur Jazlan said the commission must function as a monitoring body and consultant to all local aviation companies without siding with anyone. It should play its role like the Securities Commission Malaysia as the supervisor and arbitrator.

“We must realise that MAS is not the only airline in the country. There are also AirAsia and Malindo Air that are competing and getting equal privileges in the industry.

“It does not mean MAS, which is government-owned, should receive all privileges at the expense of the other airlines for the sake of saving the MAS brand ... it would not be good for the industry or the people,” he said. — The Malaysian Insider


This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on September 19, 2014.