PUTRAJAYA, June 4 — Rapid growth in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, along with increased investment in the business aviation sector, is expected to drive demand for skilled workers, with Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans seen as among the best suited to meet industry needs.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia is increasingly attracting investment to the sector, especially in Subang, which is becoming a regional hub for MRO and business aviation.
“The more aircraft we have, the more MRO is needed and the more technicians are required. We are also attracting significant investment in private jets and business aviation. Many foreign companies are investing in Subang and setting up their MRO facilities there,” he told reporters after an Transport Ministry (MOT) and Defence Ministry (MINDEF) TVET event here today.
The minister said Malaysia has a competitive advantage in terms of operating costs and existing infrastructure, letting it position itself as an MRO hub not only for the domestic market but also for ASEAN and beyond.
Loke said the inflow of new investments will increase demand for highly skilled workers, while MAF retirees have technical experience and competence that can be readily utilised by the industry.
“The … group that can meet this demand (the fastest) is military retirees because they already have the necessary skill sets. They only require minimal additional training before they can be absorbed into the industry,” he said.
As such, he believes the MOT-MINDEF TVET initiative also creates opportunities to utilise the skills of retired servicemen across various transport subsectors, including air, sea and land.
“There is strong synergy between MOT and MINDEF because the skill sets required in the transport sector are already present among military retirees.
“From defence to civilian sectors, the competencies are very similar,” he said, adding that MAF retirees with experience operating trucks and heavy vehicles will be assisted in obtaining a Class E driving licence at no additional cost through a streamlined conversion from military licences.
He said the cost of obtaining such a licence typically ranges between RM4,000 and RM5,000.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said around 5,000 MAF personnel retire each year, with more than 4,000 of them aged around 39 and above and still in their productive years.
He said transition programmes managed by the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (PERHEBAT) are being restructured to better meet industry needs, thereby improving future retirees’ employment opportunities.
Khaled added that personnel undergoing pre-retirement transition periods continue to receive government salaries, as it is part of their service.
“They are still being paid because the transition period is part of their pre-retirement service. It does not involve additional allocations but uses existing government salary payments,” he said.
He explained that the transition period lasts a year, including six months of industrial training, before personnel are absorbed into companies requiring skilled labour.
“Once employed, companies will pay their salaries, and at the same time they will continue receiving the pensions they are entitled to,” Khaled said.
