KUCHING, Aug 5 2026: Social activist Voon Shiak Ni has expressed her fear that something is “very wrong the system” following an admission by a Malaysian pilot of being a drug mule for more than once.
Caption: Social activist Voon Shiak Ni expresses fear that something is very wrong with the systemShe said the incident has came as a shock to the nation, exposing a serious problem with the security systems at the Malaysian airports that a pilot could successfully smuggled a big amount of drugs reportedly to be about 26kgs without being detected by the screening systems.
“And it is terrifying and traumatizing to all flyers to know that the pilot was also on drugs during his flight and was apparently not screened for fitness before flying,” she said in a statement.
“It means that not only that drugs were not detected via the immigration securities but the security procedures on pilot's fitness to fly was not observed properly,” she added.
“This is a very serious issue and constituted grave negligence on the part of airport and aviation authorities and exposed serious crack in the whole system and significant failures in aviation security,” she said.
Voon urged the authorities to enhance security protocols and the screening systems to detect illicit drugs before departure is disappointing as the system is expected to be in place all this while.
“What has happened now has undermine public confidence in aviation security and highlights the need for robust background checks, security monitoring, and integrity programmes for aviation personnel,” she said.
She reminded the law enforcement and customs agencies in both the departure and arrival countries playing an important role in preventing transnational drug trafficking and identifying weaknesses in border security.
She added drugs smuggling activities has always been there, commending them on the continuous efforts of the police and authorities in making successful seizure of drugs .
“However the case of the drug trafficking activities of the Malaysian pilot is deemed a much bigger and terrifying issue because of the nature of the work of the accused and he was under the influence of the drugs when he was flying with hundreds of lives at stake .
“In the circumstances , apart from the accused to be criminalised for his drug trafficking acts , the airport and aviation authority and also the Ministry of Transport is to answerable for this grave negligence,” she suggested.
She urged for thorough transparent investigation to be done and reports to be updated for public consumption and awareness .
Indonesian authorities have released a video showing the moment a Malaysia Airlines pilot arrived in Jakarta before being taken into custody on allegations of bringing drugs into the country.
The Malaysian citizen was arrested on July 28 after authorities allegedly found more than 70,100 ecstasy pills weighing 26 kilograms and four grams of methamphetamine hidden in his luggage.
Indonesia has strict drug laws, with aircrew routinely providing warnings about capital punishment before aircraft land.
