Malaysia supports introduction of first jet tracking system: Liow

Malaysia will give its utmost support to a jet tracking system which enables the authorities to quickly react to abnormal situations such as the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370 in March last year.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the system developed by Australia was the first jet tracking system in the world and had potential to further strengthen the international aviation sectors.

"Prior to this, Malaysia had already proposed to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) to look into the installation of a real-time air-tracking system on all international commercial flights.

"We received positive response from ICAO and I think they will be implementing it in stages.

"We have to continue to improve the international aviation safety area because we know, after what happened to flights MH17 and MH370, it opened up to the world that the aviation sector needs to further strengthen safety areas," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the Ipoh MCA Chinese New Year celebration at the Red Crescent Society Hall here today.

Earlier, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss was quoted by a local newspaper as saying that the country was trialling a world-first jet tracking system with Malaysia and Indonesia to increase aircraft tracking over remote oceans, allowing authorities to quickly react to abnormal situations such as the disappearance of MH370.

The system also raised the minimum tracking rate for planes flying over remote oceans to 15 minutes from current intervals of 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, on the spread of wild speculation, rumours and false news on the MH370 which disappeared on March 8, Liow said as for now, Malaysia only relied on information given by Inmarsat and Air Traffic Control Centre as they indicated the flight had headed towards the southern Indian Ocean.