DPA/Kuala Lumpur
Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday urged Malaysians to come together after twin tragedies struck the country’s aviation industry within a few months.
“Malaysians must remain steadfast and united in the face of this crisis, and continue to pray for the country far removed from the disaster,” he said following the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 with 298 people on board in eastern Ukraine.
Thursday’s incident took place while the country was still struggling to understand the March 8 disappearance of another Malaysia Airlines plane, with 239 people on board, about an hour after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur International Airport en route to Beijing.
Najib called for an emergency session of parliament next week to discuss the latest tragedy and Malaysia’s response to it.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim backed Najib’s initiative. “This is indeed a time of grief and sadness for all Malaysians, as it is too for others, and we urge all parties to refrain from making statements or remarks that are insensitive to the feelings of the families and loved ones of the innocent victims,” he said.
Lim Kit Siang, leader of the Chinese-based opposition Democratic Action party, said the government must also investigate the disappearance of flight MH370.
“Just like MH17, the MH370 disaster deserves full and proper accountability which cannot wait until the missing aircraft is found -- which may be weeks, months or even years,” he said.
The government came under international and domestic criticism for its alleged reluctance to share information on flight MH370.
Relatives of the victims on that flight said it took Malaysia Airlines nearly two months to release the aircraft’s cargo manifest, while it took only two days for the national carrier to release the cargo manifest of flight MH17.
“Our hearts are heavy, we want to pray for MH17 before we continue to pray for MH370,” the relatives said on their Facebook page.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks at an event as part of the Federal Territory Ministry’s Nur Ramadan programme in Kuala Lumpur.
