KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 – As Malaysia is doing its best to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) MH370, there is thus, no requirement to do it any differently, said Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said despite being watched like a hawk and frequently criticised by others, Malaysia had been very consistent and did not speculate, unless there was evidence which was corroborated and verified.
He noted, that was proven by the focus of the search and rescue (SAR) operation – led by Malaysia – which shifted to the southern Indian Ocean area, given that no one had thought it would be the last flight path for the ill-fated aircraft.
“Where we are today, is based on very consistent and transparent efforts on our part.
“At the early stage of the search, nobody would have thought that we will find the plane in the Indian Ocean, (which is exactly) where we are today.
“Earlier, we were talking about the plane landing in Nanning (China), oil slicks on South China Sea, sighting of the plane in the Melaka Strait, going north to Andaman,” he said in the daily media briefing on the search operation which entered its 21st day, at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here today.
Also present were MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman.
Hishammuddin believed that history would judge Malaysia as a country “that was very responsible” and advised the Chinese not to be too emotional and (not to) listen to speculation.
“Emotions are running high. Lots of interest in this issue and people get crowded.
“I genuinely believe the SAR (search and rescue) team from Malaysia and the three gentlemen up here (referring to himself, Ahmad Jauhari and Azharuddin) have conducted ourselves responsibly, and history will judge that,” he said.
Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, left the KL International Airport at 12.41am on March 8, and disappeared from the radar about an hour later while over the South China Sea.
It was to have arrived in Beijing at 6.30am on the same day.
After 17 days of searching, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday announced the aircraft flight path had “ended” in the southern Indian Ocean, after searchers used a new form of data analysis – never used before in a search for a missing plane.
– BERNAMA
