MH370 press conference abruptly cancelled

PUTRAJAYA: A press conference scheduled to be held at 3.30pm today to announce the latest update on flight MH370 was abruptly cancelled at 4pm, much to the disappointment of those present.
Over 100 reporters and cameramen from various media, both local and international, had gathered for the press conference by Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman at the DCA building in Putrajaya.
Several relatives of MH370 victims were also present.
Information Department officer Jagjit Singh informed the packed hall that the press conference was cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances".
He had early said that no questions will be taken during the announcement, but the media could write to DCA with questions, and a reply would be given in the afternoon.
The press conference was supposed to feature a "huge announcement" by the authorities on the flight which went missing on March 8 last year.
DCA later issued a statement saying that the department had decided not to proceed with the press conference due to the presence of victims' relatives, which it said "was not appropriate".
"The media briefing was by invitation for media only. A separate arrangement has been made to communicate with the (relatives)," it said.
It added that arrangements has been made for Azharuddin to make a recording of the announcement, which was later aired over RTM1, followed by a press statement sent to the media companies.
Some of the relatives interviewed said they were not happy with the sudden cancellation.
Jacquita Gonzalez, wife of MH370 in-flight supervisor Patrick Francis Gomez, said: "It is not right. We are going through a roller-coaster. Our emotions are whacked right now. We do know what to say or feel."
The victims' relatives have the right to know what has happened and be updated on the latest news of the search, she added.
Lim Wee Hoon, whose brother-in-law Chan Huan Peen, was a passenger, said she had not been officially informed of the announcement, and only learned of the press conference through an acquaintance who heard of it from reporters.
"The Malaysia Airlines CEO promised during one of our meetings to take care of the passengers' family members and will give us any new information, first-hand," said Lim.
She reminded the authorities that just because the family members have been staying silent, it does not mean that they have forgotten or have moved on from their loss.
A Chinese national, identified only as Kelly, said she is angry that the government did not inform the family members of the announcement and is extremely disappointed with its cancellation.
Kelly, whose husband was on MH370, said there is still no clear evidence that the plane had been lost as declared by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and she refuses to accept that announcement.
"I cannot accept it and will not accept any declaration of loss in the absence of any conclusive evidence. They have no evidence that the plane is lost," she said.
Kelly also demanded that the Inmarsat satellite data on which Najib's announcement was based on be made available in Chinese so it could be independently verified.
Mohamad Sahril Shaari 37, the cousin of MH370 passenger Mohd Razahan Zamani, also turned up to hear the announcement.
"I wanted to hear directly from the press conference, because I do not want to listen to an edited version of it," he said.
He said that the press conference should have been held, if there was nothing to hide.