All Malaysia Airlines pilots pass drug tests following Jakarta arrest

Malaysia Airlines has announced that all of its pilots tested negative for drugs, according to Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the company's owner. MAG revealed that cabin crew members would also be subjected to drug testing in the near future. The mandatory drug screening was initiated following the arrest of a Malaysian Airlines pilot on drug trafficking charges in Indonesia on July 28.

During his arrest, authorities discovered 26kg (57lbs) of MDMA in the pilot's luggage, along with traces of cocaine and methamphetamine in his system, as reported by the customs office. MAG assured that all pilot drug tests returned negative, and they would now proceed to screen around 2,840 cabin crew members, with the process expected to conclude by September 3.

Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar, MAG's president and CEO, emphasized that this accomplishment marked a significant milestone in implementing stringent safety measures across the group's airlines. He reiterated that safety would remain the top priority and that MAG would continue taking steps to strengthen its safeguards and uphold operational standards to maintain passenger and stakeholder confidence.

MAG also mentioned that over half of Firefly, its short-haul carrier, had undergone drug testing, with all results being negative. The company stated that it was on track to complete the screening for all its remaining pilots and cabin crew by August 25.