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SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT MALAYSIA 203rd SESSION OF ICAO COUNCIL
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT MALAYSIA
THE HONORABLE DATO’ SRI LIOW TIONG LAI
203rd Session of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Council
Monday, October 27, 2014
His Excellency Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu
President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),
Your Excellencies of the Council,
Mr. Raymond Benjamin
Secretary General of ICAO,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for affording Malaysia the opportunity to address this august chamber of the ICAO Council. Please allow me to express Malaysia’s heartfelt gratitude for your support following the two tragedies that occurred this year.
We ask for your continued assistance and look forward to collaborating with the Council to achieve the strategic objectives set forth by ICAO.
REMEMBERING THE TRAGEDIES
Without a doubt 2014 has been an extremely difficult year not only for Malaysia but for the international aviation community, as we were struck by not one, but two unprecedented tragedies in the span of merely four months.
If these two unprecedented events tell us anything it is that we cannot delay implementing changes in the way global commercial aviation operates.
I am here today with recommendations that we believe will enhance the safety and security of the aviation industry.
On an average day more than 8 million people fly and it would be nothing short of negligent on our part to waste one more day without implementing policies and procedures to help keep them safe.
The unique nature of these two events has made helping the loved ones of the passengers and crew find closure a challenge. But we remain committed to dedicating the appropriate resources in search for the MH370 while also working with relevant authorities responsible for the MH17 investigation. We have met with challenges and resistance in both instances but remain cautiously optimistic in our efforts.
Words cannot express how deeply the families of the passengers and crew involved have been affected by these events. Our hope is that they find some comfort not only in the united support we have demonstrated, but more importantly, in the actions taken by the respective governments and ICAO to improve aviation security.
As we stand in solidarity with the families of the passengers and crew who were lost, we must now move forward with a renewed sense of purpose to establish the next generation of safety and security standards in international civil aviation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & RECOMMENDATIONS – MH370
Mr. President,
The efforts of ICAO have been instrumental in setting the standard for the industry with the Chicago Convention 1944 on International Civil Aviation having served as the cornerstone for this. In light of MH370 it is timely that ICAO took the initiative to collaborate with key industry participants and form the “Aircraft Tracking Task Force.”
For this, ICAO deserves high praise. But more must be done.
On this note we trust the Council has reviewed the preliminary report prepared by Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau.
I strongly urge that ICAO now take the initiative to move a step further. From an industry perspective, the disappearance of MH370 demonstrates the crucial need to improve aircraft tracking systems for the sake of safety and security. In this day and age, the fact that an airplane could go missing and that the flight recorders could be so difficult to recover is unacceptable.
On this premise, we put forward the following recommendations:
1. Establish requirements for real time global tracking of commercial aircraft; and
2. Extend the transmission life of Underwater Locator Beacons installed in flight recorders on all commercial aircraft.
We appreciate there are industry participants who are of the opinion that improving tracking systems is not an imperative at this time. Malaysia strongly disagrees. It is widely accepted that if the batteries of the locator beacons had a longer life span, it could have made a dramatic difference in the search for MH370.
Mr. President, Malaysia urges the council to take these steps without further delay.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & RECOMMENDATIONS – MH17
Although we are faced with a different set of challenges in the MH17 investigation, our goal is the same: The establishment of stronger measures for safety and security in international civil aviation.
What happened to MH17 could have happened to any aircraft. The flight route was deemed safe and utilised by many other airlines that very day. It was simply misfortune that MH17 was the plane that was hit. The world must view this tragedy as a wake-up call; we can no longer be complacent and must take preventative measures now.
We are encouraged that efforts are underway. With your leadership, ICAO has taken the initiative, in collaboration with State and industry counterparts, forming a Task Force on Risks to Civil Aviation arising from Conflict Zones. The preliminary report published by the Dutch Safety Board on 9 September 2014 also contains recommendations for improving safety and security for civil and commercial aircraft flying over conflict zones.
To echo the words of Malaysia’s Prime Minister, there is a sense of disbelief which has changed to anger as we process what has truly happened.
Mr. President, we therefore recommend:
1. Mandatory timely reporting of relevant information regarding flight risks to the ICAO by member states.
2. ICAO to establish global protocol to disseminate this information to member states and airlines.
Mr. President,
Sharing information saves lives. This was the conclusion reached following the September 11 attacks. After what happened in the skies over the Ukraine, we must look beyond national interests and prioritise collective safety and security for civil aviation.
A commitment to make our skies safer for the citizens of the world honours those innocent souls on board MH17.
We owe them that much.
WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE SAKE OF THE MH17 INVESTIGATIONS
The Government of Malaysia acknowledges the vital role played by ICAO in aircraft accident and incident investigations specifically for MH17.
However, the progress on the MH17 investigation has unfortunately been greatly hindered by the geopolitical situation on the ground. This clearly demonstrates the crucial need to review the existing guidelines for investigations in cases where an air crash occurs in a conflict zone.
I stand before you today and call upon the international civil aviation community to urge all states and stakeholders to assist the international investigation team and render full and unrestricted cooperation.
With this in mind, it is fitting to recall Article 3 bis of the Chicago Convention 1944, which prohibits the use of weapons against civil aircraft and we demand that those responsible are brought to justice.
WALKING THE TALK & CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that we are all committed to the cause of safety and security in international civil aviation but we all know that there is still much to be done. This is a challenge that requires the cooperation of the entire civil aviation community, and I for one will continue to support the good work of ICAO and the international authorities to fulfil these objectives.
To this effect, Mr. President, I seek the support of the Council to consider Malaysia’s request to invoke Article 54(n) of the Chicago Convention 1944 and call for the resolution to be adopted. It is imperative that ICAO take the lead in doing so.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a few thoughts:
· There is nothing more important than aviation safety and security on a global scale.
· I believe that the recommendations we put forward here today will be a strong step in a right direction.
· And we must act now.
Anything less is not an option.
Mr. President, once again, my deepest gratitude for allowing me to address this Council.
Thank you.