SIBU: The appointment of Sarawak Ministry of Transport permanent secretary Datuk Ir Alice Jawan Empaling as the member of Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) is hoped to close the gap between the state ministry and the federal transport ministry.
Minister for Transport Sarawak Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said that the ministry so far does not have any representative in the MAVCOM which resulted in communication gap between the state and the federal level.
“Through the appointment, they will better understand our needs in Sarawak. So, hopefully with this appointment, issues related to Sarawak transport can be presented directly to MAVCOM in their meetings,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters after his visit to Sarawak Rivers Board office at Passengers Terminal Sibu yesterday.
The Senadin assemblyman also expressed his gratitude to Malaysia Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook for Alice’s appointment.
“This is the first time that Sarawak has been given a place in MAVCOM and I would like to thank the Malaysian Ministry of Transport for agreeing to appoint someone from Sarawak to be a member of MAVCOM.
“This is a suggestion I made to YB Anthony Loke, when I met him earlier this year. With the appointment of the permanent secretary of the Sarawak Ministry of Transport as a member of MAVCOM, we will be able to resolve various issues especially related to flights to Sarawak,” he said.
Meanwhile, Loke in a statement yesterday said Alice’s appointment will take effect from March 28, 2023 to March 27, 2026, namely for a period of three years.
He said Alice’s expertise, extensive experience and enthusiasm in serving the people will play an important role in driving the Malaysian aviation industry forward.
