PUTRAJAYA: The expertise and professionalism of Malaysia’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team in Hilversum, the Netherlands is recognised to be at par with other DVI teams around the world.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam said the Malaysian DVI team not only carried out their tasks based on their individual expertise, but also acted as representatives to the Malaysian government in negotiations in Ukraine and the Netherlands, he said in a statement today.
The team, consisting of officers and personnel from the Health Ministry, Defence Ministry, Royal Malaysian Police and Chemistry Department, is a multi-agency team formed by the government.
The group led by Health Ministry Forensics Medical Consultant Dr Mohd Shah Mahmood was sent in stages to Hilversum and until now, 25 DVI member have returned home.
Subramaniam said the identification of MH17 victims was still ongoing in Hilversum, and an officer from the Chemistry Department still remained there.
He said the officer was representing the Malaysian government on the Identification Board for the MH17 victim identification process.
“The Health Ministry will continue to be committed in monitoring and coordinating activities related to MH17 DVI operation until all victims have been identified and brought home,” he said, adding the ministry would send a forensic medical team to the Netherlands if necessary.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak presented certificates of appreciation to the Malaysian DVI team members today in Putrajaya for their work and contribution.
Flight MH17, which carried 298 passengers and crew, is believed to have been shot down in eastern Ukraine while on its way to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam on July 17.
As at Sept 9, the remains of 35 victims including two Netherlands nationals had been brought back to Malaysia for the funeral rites.
– BERNAMA