Drug tests for all Malaysia Airlines pilots after Indonesia arrest
Malaysia Aviation Group also confirms that the pilot detained in Indonesia was a second officer travelling as an observer and was not part of the flight crew operating the aircraft.
Malaysia Airlines has mandated drug screening for all 1,260 of its pilots following the arrest of one of its officers in Indonesia on suspicion of smuggling drugs. The screening, which will conclude by August 15, is in addition to the airline's existing random testing program. The incident occurred when a Malaysian pilot, who was off-duty for two days, was caught at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia with 25kg of ecstasy concealed in his luggage, valued at over RM13 million.
The pilot in question was a second officer who was present in the cockpit jump seat but not part of the flight crew. Malaysia Aviation Group's CEO and president, Nasaruddin A Bakar, emphasized that the actions of the individual were unacceptable and did not reflect the professional standards expected of the airline's employees. Tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing urged relevant agencies to implement corrective measures promptly, suggesting that security checks, screening processes, and border control procedures should be thoroughly reviewed.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
