Family of ex-MAS steward held in Paris appeals to Putrajaya for help

Breaking their silence for the first time, the tearful family of a former Malaysia Airlines flight steward detained in Paris since August for alleged sexual assault on a passenger, today appealed to Putrajaya to bring him home..

The former MAS employee’s eldest daughter Syaza, 24, said under Article 3 of the Tokyo Convention 1963, her father should be brought back to Malaysia instead of being held in France.

Both Malaysia and France are signatories to the Tokyo Convention 1963, which is a multilateral treaty on offences and certain other acts committed on board an aircraft.

Article 3 states that the state of registration of the aircraft is competent to exercise jurisdiction over offences and acts committed on board.

Therefore, Syaza said, there were grounds for her father to be brought back to Malaysia to be investigated for the offence which he had been accused of.

The former MAS flight steward had been accused of sexually assaulting an Australian passenger during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris.

The alleged assault occurred aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH20 on August 7. The steward was detained by French authorities upon arrival in Paris.

A hastily convened press conference was held today by the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) at Holiday Villa in Subang Jaya.

Also present were Syaza and her husband Mohamad Faiq Ilhan, their legal counsel Shailender Bhar and Nufam president Ismail Nasaruddin.

Despite being detained since August, the former flight steward, who had served MAS for 32 years, has not been charged or tried by French authorities.

Syaza said that she, her mother, an aunt and Faiq had flown to Paris last month and met with her father three times for about 30 to 45 minutes.

"When we met my father for the first time in two months, we did not speak much as we were all overcome with emotion.

"My father looked so sad and depressed, he had also lost about 20kg. The weight loss was due to dietary issues in the prison," Syaza said, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She suggested that one of the "dietary issues" involved the availability of halal food, as the same food is provided to all detainees.

"He is being detained in a prison where he is confined in a cell with other suspects, most of whom are French."

Syaza also expressed scepticism over the accusations levelled against her father by the passenger, saying it did not sound logical.

"My father is the sole male in our household as he has three daughters besides my mother. So I do not believe he would behave inappropriately."

Syaza said the saddest moment was their third and final meeting with their father, as the family knew they had to return to Malaysia.

"As winter is approaching, we bought some warm clothing for him as he has been borrowing clothing from his colleagues," she said.

Shailender told reporters that under French law, the 54-year-old former steward could be detained for up to 10 years without being tried.

"I have asked around and the average detention period is about four years," Shailender said.

"Just imagine if you were to go for a holiday and get detained for up to 10 years in a foreign country based on a mere accusation," he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail (pic, left) took aim at Malaysia Airlines, saying the national carrier was trying to wash its hands of the incident.

On Thursday, MAS confirmed that it had sacked the flight steward, despite the fact that he had not been charged or tried for the alleged incident.

Ismail said the letter of dismissal had been sent to the flight steward while he was still languishing in an overseas detention centre.

Ismail said MAS gave the flight steward 60 days to appeal against the termination on grounds of "misconduct", but added that he could not appeal as he had no idea he had been sacked.

The union has since referred the matter to the Industrial Relations Department. – November 15, 2014