PETRA JAYA: Foreign helicopter pilots, hired to operate during the 14th General Election, must familiarise themselves with the challenging geographical features and weather conditions in Sarawak, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said before the foreign pilots are allowed to fly the state's airspace, they will be required to undergo Department of Civil Aviation's (DCA) verification process.
The matter, he said was one of the issues discussed during the state BN GE14 committee meeting today.
Uggah, who is also the committee's chairman, said it has been agreed that local pilots will ply the routes that have been identified as "difficult" and "challenging".
"This means that foreign pilots will fly the mostly on easier and shorter routes," he said when met by the NSTP after the committee's meeting at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters here today.
The move, he said, was to ensure the helicopter tragedy in Subayau in the last state election two years ago, would not recur.
The incident saw six people including, Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon and her husband, Asmuni Abdullah killed.
The other four victims were Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Muhammad Khairil Anuar Wan Ahmad, Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai, personal body guard Ahmad Sobri Harun and Philippine pilot Rudolf Rex Ragas.
Uggah also said more than 20 helicopters, including those rented from the Philippines, would be used during the election period in Sarawak.
"Helicopter is still the best option to shorten the travel time and reach the remote areas in Sarawak's interior." he said.