SEPANG: As Muslims rose this morning for Sahur ahead of the 20th day of Ramadhan, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was getting ready to officially break a “terrible and shocking” news unfolding several hours earlier in a troubled corner of Ukraine.
This was a 4.50am Press conference. The Prime Minister was flanked by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein - the chief spokesman of the MH370 episode - and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.
It emerged that Najib had already spoken to presidents of two nations which shall feature prominently as this story unfolds in the coming days and weeks.
President Barrack Obama shared his thoughts with Najib; that the investigation must not be hindered and the site and the black box must not be hindered with.
On its part, Najib said Malaysia was sending a special flight comprising our own disaster assistance and rescue team, as well as a medical team to Kiev in Ukraine soon to respond.
Hours after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed in the Donetsk region yesterday, Najib said President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine pledged to negotiate with rebels in the region to establish a "humanitarian corridor" to facilitate the efforts at the crash site.
"President of Ukraine has pledged that there will be a full and thorough and independent investigation, and Malaysian officials are invited to take part.
"I also received a call from (United States) President (Barrack) Obama. He and I both agree that the investigation must not be hindered in any way.
"An international team must have full access to the crash site. No one should interfere with the area or move any debris including the black box," Najib said.
He also said MAS had confirmed that the plane was carrying 295 passengers and crew, and a distress call during the time of the crash was not made.
Najib said the Ukranian authorities believe plane was shot down, but Malaysia could not verify the actual cause of the tragedy.
"If it transpires that the plane was indeed shot down, we insist that the perpetrators must be swiftly brought to justice," he added.
He said MAS also confirmed that the route the plane had traveled in was not subject to restriction and declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. And, the was no distress call from the plane,
MAS was also in the process of notifying the next of kin, Najib said, and that all possible care would be provided for.
The Boeing 777-200 aircraft which left Amsterdam at 12.15pm local time was scheduled to arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6.10am local Malaysia time.