M'sia Will Not Withhold Any Information On MH370 - Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Haishammuddin Tun Hussein today denied an allegation that Malaysia has held back information about the missing Flight MH370's movements.

"For the families, I understand that every day prolongs the anguish. I understand because Malaysia, too, is missing its sons and daughters. There were 50 Malaysians on board the plane.

"Our priority has always been to find the aircraft. We would not withhold any information that could help. But we also have a responsibility not to release information until it has been verified by the international investigations team," he told a press conference, near here today.

He said the responsibility was not only to the families and to the investigation, but also the search and rescue operation and it would be irresponsible to deploy substantial assets merely on the basis of unverified and uncorroborated information.

"As soon as the possibility emerged that the plane had carried out an air turn back to the Straits of Malacca, we expanded our search to that area.

"I would like to reiterate the United States investigating team's statement about that decision, based on the information and data given by the Malaysian authorities, that there are reasonable grounds to deploy resources to conduct search on the western side of peninsular Malaysia," he said.

Hishammuddin said the search efforts to the northern and southern corridors were mobilised as soon the new satellite information as to the possible last known whereabouts of the aircraft were verified.

Over the past 48 hours, he said, Malaysia had been working on the diplomatic, technical and logistical requirements of the search for MH370 and continued to lead the overall co-ordination of the search effort.

He said the number of countries involved in the search and rescue (SAR)operation has increased to 26.

"During the last 24 hours, the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) has spoken to the Prime Minister of Australia (Tony Abbott) and the Premier of China (Li Keqiang).

"The Foreign Affairs Ministry has sent diplomatic notes to all countries involved in the SAR operation, including two groups - countries in the search corridors and countries from which we are seeking assistance and expertise," Hishammuddin said.

For countries in the search corridors, he said, Malaysia requested radar and satellite information as well as specific assets for the SAR operation.

"We are asking them to share their land, sea and aerial search and rescue action plans with the Rescue Co-ordination Centre here in Malaysia so that we can co-ordinate the search effort.

"We have asked for regular updates, including daily reports on both search activities and details of any information required from Malaysia," he said.

As the co-ordinating authority, he said, Malaysia was gathering all information as part of the on-going operation and was not at liberty to reveal information from specific countries.

Hishammuddin said SAR operations in the northern and southern corridors had already begun and countries, including Malaysia, Australia, China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan.

"The Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy have deployed assets to the southern corridor. Two Malaysian ships have been deployed - the offshore patrol vessels KD Kelantan and KD Selangor," he said, adding that the deployment also included a Super Lynx helicopter.

Australia had already moved a P-3 Orion aircraft to region of the Cocos and Christmas Islands, with the Australian prime minister confirming that it would send an additional two P-3 Orions and a C-130 Hercules while a US P-8 Poseidon aircraft would be travelling to Perth today to help with the search, he said.

He said yesterday, experts from the Civil Aviation Administration of China joined the investigations team and officials from the French Office of Investigations and Analysis for the Safety of Civil Aviation joined the team today.

Flight MH370, carrying with 227 passengers and 12 crew, disappeared about an hour after leaving the KL International Airport at 12.41 am on March 8. It was scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 6.30 am on the same day.