KUALA LUMPUR: MALAYSIA may seek to regain access to the MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said. This, among others, was to expedite the identification process of the remaining victims of the tragedy.
Hishammuddin said among the victims that had yet to be identified included his step-grandmother, Puan Sri Siti Amirah Kusuma, 83, who was also step-grandmother to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“It is a complicated process but we are trying our best to give the families the closure they need,” he said after presenting academic excellence awards to the children of armed forces personnel here.
Hishammuddin said the ministry would meet this week to discuss preparations to receive the third batch of remains on Aug 30.
There were 43 Malaysians on board the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. Twenty-three remains had been flown home.
Flight MH17, carrying 298 passengers, was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down in eastern Ukraine on July 17.
On flight MH370, Hishammuddin said the government remained committed to the search for the missing aircraft, despite the recent MH17 tragedy.
“I would like to assure the families involved that we have not forgotten them and we will continue to search for the aircraft.”
An analysis of satellite data by United Kingdom experts suggested that the Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, ended up in the southern Indian Ocean.
He added that the countries involved in the first phase of search for MH370 aircraft, which disappeared on March 8, had not filed any claims with Malaysia.
Hishammuddin said a delegation would travel to Canberra, Australia, next week to discuss the next phase of the search. The delegation will be led by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and will look into the issue of cost-sharing between Australia and Malaysia.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin, who is the chairman of the next of kin committee, and Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri will be part of the delegation.
“The delegation will attend a tripartite meeting between Malaysia, Australia and China, and sign a memorandum of understanding between Kuala Lumpur and Canberra
,” Hishammuddin said.
On another matter, he said the psychiatric evaluation of former military attaché Muhammad Rizalman Ismail had been completed.
Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said the process of sending him back to New Zealand would depend on Wisma Putra and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.