PUTRAJAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke wants the full investigation report on the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 to be ready soon.
He urged the Malaysian International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13 investigation team for MH370 to finalise the report so that it can “hopefully” be published in July.
“The families of those on board will be given the report and briefed before it is made available to the public.”
“Nothing will be withheld, we will give the final report to the public,” he said in a press conference here today.
Loke revealed that Malaysia has spent RM500 million on the search operation for the plane that went missing on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board.
“The search vessel Ocean Infinity has scoured a 112,000 sq km area 25,000 sq km more than was initially targeted.
“However no new information has been obtained on the location of the plane,” he said while referring to the vessel that was engaged to find the missing aircraft.
Loke also said that the government took note of criticism regarding the search and was open to revisiting the search if there are credible leads.
“We have engaged with Ocean Infinity and since nothing has been found we have to proceed with final report.”
“We cannot extend the search indefinitely,” he said while adding that local experts are also free to pore over the data and conduct their own studies on it.
Asked whether everything will be included in the report including the police investigation into the crew and the pilots, Loke said, “Everything. My commitment is full disclosure regarding anything related to MH370.”
“All the data and information will be published in the final report, including information mistakes conducted by any party (if there are any) so it’s up to everyone to come up with their own interpretations and conclusions.
“I don’t want to preempt the report by making judgements that will be unfair,” he said when asked whether the government would own up to its mistakes and shortcomings in the report.
He further said that the investigation report was independent.
It comprises 19 accredited representatives from seven international air accident and incident investigation organisations from Australia, China, France, Indonesia, Singapore the United Kingdom and the United States, while being led by Malaysia.