KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia has informed the Netherlands government of its desire to sit in on all investigative committees on the suspected shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to be set up from now.
Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Saturday it is vital for the country to be present in all committees regarding the flight – which came down July 17 close to Ukraine’s tense border with Russia - to ensure that all information pertaining to the crash be obtained for domestic knowledge.
Of the 298 people on board, 193 were Dutch citizens and 43 Malaysians - including 15 crewmembers.
"The investigation involves not only the cause of the incident, but also the crime committed. We have informed the Netherlands government that we want to be a part of all the committees that are to be set up," he stressed.
Malaysia’s prime ministry released a statement the same day announcing that premier Najib Razak will travel to the Netherlands on Wednesday to discuss potential collaboration in investigating the crash site.
He added that the bodies of Malaysian citizens would be brought home in stages if the identification process proved lengthy, assuring that the ministry is in constant contact with the U.N.’s National Security Council and pathologists in the Netherlands about the latest developments.
"It all depends on the period of investigation and identification by the Netherlands government,” he explained. “If this can be done in a short period of time, then they can be brought all at once."
Liow, who returned Friday from Ukrainian capital Kiev after assisting the investigation, said that the main challenges for Malaysia would be removing victims’ bodies and enabling investigators full access to the crash site in the Donetsk region - controlled by a pro-Russian rebel group.
The minister, however, expressed gratitude that the Malaysian team had been able to proceed from Kiev to the Ukraine government-held city of Kharkiv, and then to Donetsk with assistance from various quarters - mainly the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Liow stressed that Malaysia is also putting immense effort into securing the MH17 crash site, protecting the wreckage and evidence, and allowing investigators to conduct their work safely.
"As we all know now, we still have limited access to the crash site,” he said. “So, we are appealing to the leaders and local authorities to help us to ensure full access to the site."
Malaysian premier Najib Razak has also contacted several world leaders including United States President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the same concerns.
Meanwhile, Malaysian King Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Queen Tuanku Hajah Haminah expressed their condolences Saturday to the families of the Malaysian passengers and crewmembers on board flight MH17 at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
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