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Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has announced mandatory drug screening for all 1,260 Malaysia Airlines pilots following the recent arrest of one of its pilots in Indonesia over alleged drug trafficking
The move comes days after Indonesian authorities detained a Malaysia Airlines Second Officer at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after allegedly finding around 25kg of illicit drugs in his luggage.
In a statement issued today, 7 August, MAG said it has already begun the first phase of mandatory drug screening involving all 1,260 Malaysia Airlines pilots.
The exercise is expected to be completed by 15 August 2026.
According to the airline group, any pilot who does not complete the screening by the deadline will not be permitted to operate flights until they have been cleared under the company's procedures and regulatory requirements.
Beyond this immediate exercise, MAG said it will also introduce stricter mandatory drug screening for all active pilots, in addition to its existing random drug testing programme.
The company added that the programme will later be expanded to include active cabin crew.
MAG also said stricter checks will complement existing safety measures
MAG said the enhanced drug screening programme builds on its existing fitness-for-duty framework, which already includes:
- Pre-employment screening
- Class 1 medical certification for pilots
- Periodic alcohol and drug testing
- Recurrent training
- Mandatory pre-flight compliance checks covering licences, medical certification, training and recency requirements
Before every flight, operating pilots are also required to complete the IMSAFER self-assessment, which evaluates whether they are fit to fly based on illness, medication, stress, alcohol, fatigue, emotion and recency.
The group said it will continue working with aviation regulators and enforcement authorities to strengthen preventive measures and ensure compliance across its operations.
The announcement follows the high-profile arrest of a Malaysia Airlines pilot in Jakarta
The move comes after Indonesian authorities arrested the pilot upon arrival in Jakarta, where officers allegedly discovered approximately 25kg of ecstasy pills and methamphetamine concealed inside his luggage.
The pilot remains under investigation in Indonesia, while Malaysian authorities are separately investigating how the luggage cleared departure procedures at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
