Malaysians, Foreign Visitors Want Perpetrators Brought To Justice

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- A number of Malaysians and foreign visitors want those responsible for shooting down the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 be brought to justice as soon as possible.

This is the hope that is conveyed by the people, who gathered at Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) and the vicinity of Sultan Abdul Samad building today to join other Malaysians nationwide to share together their grief on the Day of National Mourning.

A pensioner, Yurni Salleh, 56, said he could feel the pain of the family members, who unexpectedly lost their loved ones in the MH17 tragedy.

"Hence, surely they and myself want to see those responsible for the crime against MH17 being charged and punished," he said when met here.

For businessman Faizal Ramli, 38, from Penang, distance was not an obstacle for him, his wife and two children to join the gathering with thousands of others at Merdeka Square to honour the Malaysian victims of the MH17 tragedy.

"I am not acquainted with them but my wife and I are very sympathetic with the fate that befallen them.

"My family and I hope the perpetrators can be caught and charged in order to get justice for the families of the victims," he said.

Meanwhile a visitor from Belgium, Evelyn Hemeryck, 32, together with her husband and their three children, aged between three months and six years, were among those participating in the gathering at Merdeka Square.

"We come here because some of the MH17 passengers are Belgium nationals. We know this through the newspapers. Incidentally we're on vacation here for 16 days, so we stopped to pay our last respects," she said.

Her husband, Johan Maeck, 41, also hoped that those conducting investigation on the MH17 case would be able to prove the crime against the aircraft and bring those responsible to court.

Camilla Pedersen, 43, a tourist from South Africa, was deeply impressed with the Malaysian government for holding the ceremony honouring the victims, which paid attention to the details.

"Although I am not a citizen of Malaysia, this historic day affects me and my family. I hope investigations can be concluded very quickly," said the mother of a toddler, whom she brought to Merdeka Square.

The whole nation is in mourning today as a mark of respect to honour the first batch of flight MH17 victims' remains shot down in Ukraine last July 17. The remains of 20 of the 43 Malaysian victims were brought home from the Netherlands in a special aircraft Friday.