Kuala lumpur: Malaysia is targeting an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Effective Implementation (EI) score of at least 90 percent by December 2028 under the Malaysia Aviation Safety Plan 2026-2028 launched today. Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook stated that the three-year plan also aims to maintain zero fatal accidents in commercial aviation, reduce serious accidents and runway safety events, and strengthen safety reporting.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the plan provides Malaysia with a focused national framework for the next three years and is aligned with the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan and Asia-Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Plan. Transport Minister Loke emphasized that the plan translates ambition into measurable actions, which include achieving an ICAO Effective Implementation score of at least 90 percent by December 2028 and reducing serious accidents and runway safety events.
Loke's speech at the Malaysia Aviation Safety Seminar (MASS) 2026 was delivered by Transport Ministry secretary general Datuk Seri Jana Santhiran Muniayan. He highlighted that aviation safety remains a national priority as it protects lives, supports public confidence, and underpins Malaysia's tourism, trade, investment, and connectivity sectors.
Loke noted that the government's commitment to aviation safety is based on three priorities: maintaining a capable and effective regulator, ensuring safety performance is measurable and transparent, and ensuring regulations keep pace with innovation. He stressed the importance of risk-based oversight that requires qualified technical professionals, reliable systems, and sustainable institutional capacity.
On safety reporting, Loke stated that an increase in reporting should not be seen as evidence of a less safe aviation system. A healthy reporting culture provides better visibility of hazards, encourages early intervention, and allows lessons to be shared before an occurrence becomes an accident. He emphasized that people must be able to report safety concerns responsibly and with confidence that the information will be used to improve the system.
He also pointed out that new technologies could improve situational awareness, decision-making, and operational efficiency but could introduce new dependencies, cybersecurity concerns, and human-factor risks. Loke added that no government, regulator, or operator could deliver aviation safety alone, as it depends on cooperation across borders, responsible sharing of safety information, and a common commitment to act on evidence.
Finally, he urged participants of MASS 2026 and the 61st Conference of the Directors General of Civil Aviation of the Asia and Pacific Regions (DGCA 61) to challenge established assumptions, exchange practical experience, and identify actions that could strengthen safety within their respective organizations. The Malaysia Aviation Safety Plan 2026-2028 was launched in conjunction with MASS 2026.