BUTTERWORTH, July 21 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has suggested that Malaysia send ministers to Russia as well besides Ukraine to help facilitate the probe into the Malaysia Airlines plane crash in Ukraine last Thursday.
He said Malaysia could send Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to Moscow or Hishammuddin could accompany Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“I don’t see any minister going to Russia. Since (Transport Minister Datuk Seri) Liow Tiong Lai has gone to Ukraine, why doesn’t Hishammuddin go to Russia, because you need (the help of the) two countries. If Ukraine says yes, but Russia (gives) no response, (it’s) also (of) no use. Russia (is) more important because Russia has influence in that region. Russia is a super power. We should give them respect,” he told reporters after handing over an incentive contribution of RM182,100 for distribution to 607 taxi and hire car drivers in Seberang Perai.
The incentive was presented to Abd Malek Darus, president of the Federation of Penang Taxi and Hired Car Drivers, at Dewan Datuk Ahmad Badawi here.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it went down in troubled Ukraine. It was carrying 298 people – 283 passengers and 15 crew. Ukrainian authorities believe that the Boeing 777 was shot down. The crash site is in an area where Ukrainian forces are fighting pro-Russia rebels.
Asked whether he would table a motion on the proposal at the emergency session of Parliament on Wednesday, Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, said: “What we want is to be united and stand together. We do not want to score any point with it. We are just making a sincere call.”
— BERNAMA
