Najib's speech when tabling the motion on MH17

ENGLISH translation of the speech text of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak (pix) when tabling the motion on the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 tragedy at the special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat today, July 23:
Mr Speaker Sir,
1. At about 11pm on Thursday, 17 July 2014, corresponding to 19 Ramadan 1435 Hijrah, a date that will not be easily forgotten, I received a telephone call from the Chairman of Malaysia Airlines, Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof, about MH17.
2. As it turned out, even before the MH370 tragedy had abated, the unwelcome MH17 tragedy had happened.
3. With divine provision, a tragic event had taken place. The world, in general, and Malaysians, in particular, were shocked by the unexpected tragedy of the reported crash of a Boeing 777-200 commercial aircraft of Malaysia Airlines, Flight MH17, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
4. In less than two hours, I arrived at the MAS operations rooms at KLIA (KL International Airport), along with several ministers. We were briefed by the MAS management on what had happened. Without wasting any time, I was in touch with several world leaders, among them President Obama of the United States, Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine.
5. At about 2am, I decided to send a special team to the crash site.
6. Then, at about 5am, I called a special press conference to inform Malaysians and the rest of the world about what was happening at that time.
7. For the information of this august house, the flight had left (Amsterdam) at about 12.15pm local time and was scheduled to arrive at KLIA at 6.10am Malaysian time. The flight had on board 298 people, comprising 283 passengers and 15 crew. Forty-three of them, including two infants, were Malaysians.
8. Malaysia Airlines confirmed having been informed by the Ukraine Air Traffic Control that it lost contact with Flight MH17 at 10.15pm local time, about 50km from the Russia-Ukraine border.
Message of Condolence
Mr Speaker Sir,
9. On behalf of the government and people of Malaysia, I expressed profound sadness over the tragedy that had befallen the passengers and crew of Flight MH17.
10. I also extended condolences and profound sympathy as well, especially to all the family members, friends and acquaintances of the victims. It is hoped that all of them will remain steadfast and resolute in facing this most challenging moment of grief.
11. The government also declared that from 18 to 21 July, 2014, the national flag will be flown at half-mast nationwide.
12. Let us Muslims say the Al-Fatihah and the non-Muslims, observe a moment of silence.
Important Facts
Mr Speaker Sir,
13. Some important facts for the scrutiny of this august house.
14. Fact No. 1: The total number of deaths. For your information, Malaysia Airlines listed the passengers and crew based on nationality. The updated list as at 18 July, 2014, based on nationality is as follows:
Netherlands - 192
Malaysia - 43 (including 15 crew and two infants)
Australia - 27
Indonesia - 12 (including one infant)
United Kingdom - 10 (including one dual national - UK/South Africa)
Germany - four
Belgium - four
The Philippines - three
The United States - one (dual national United States/Netherlands)
Canada - one
New Zealand - one
This brings the number of people killed to 298, comprising 283 passengers and 15 crew. The number includes 83 innocent children and three infants.
Mr Speaker Sir,
15. Fact No. 2: The MAS flight path is certified safe. As for the flight path used by MAS, I have to explain that the flight path of MH17 was one that was certified safe and approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation or ICAO, as well as Ukraine, the air space of which it traversed. Furthermore, the International Air Transport Association or IATA had also stated that the air space traversed by the flight was safe.
16. For example, 15 of the 16 airlines in the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines used this route to get to Ukraine. European airlines also used the same flight path and traversed the same air space. In fact, several hours before the tragic incident, several commercial aircraft of several Asian nations also used the same flight path.
17. For your information, according to the Wall Street Journal, which quoted a report from Eurocontrol, 400 commercial flights, among them 150 international flights, traverse the air space over eastern Ukraine daily. In fact, two days before the tragedy, 75 flights of various airlines used the flight path that was used by Flight MH17. Even on that day, Flight MH17 did not receive any instruction to alter the flight path.
18. Fact No. 3: MAS flight in good physical and technical condition. As for the physical and technical condition of the flight, MAS issued a statement on 18 July, 2014, verifying that Flight MH17 was in good condition. MAS also confirmed that all systems of the flight were in good working order, particularly the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) and the transponder.
19. Fact No. 4: International Law. The shooting down of the aircraft was not only a cruel act, but one that violated the principles of international law by way of the Convention on International Civil Aviation or better known as the Chicago Convention and which is recognised by the United Nations as per Resolution 1067 (1996).
20. In this matter, the UN had unanimously approved a resolution to urge the separatists to provide unrestricted access to the MH17 crash site in Ukraine. It also called for all military activity, including by the armed groups, to be stopped immediately in the vicinity of the site to enable the international investigation to be conducted in safety.
21. I have instructed the Attorney-General to look into this matter thoroughly to ensure that any action to be taken by Malaysia is in accordance with the international law applied in matters of such a nature.
Malaysia's Demands and Call
Mr Speaker Sir,
22. For the information of honourable MPs, on 17 July, 2014, several hours after the crash of MH17, officials in the United States and Ukraine claimed that the flight was shot down in eastern Ukraine.
23. If these claims are true, we strongly condemn this inhuman, uncivilised, barbaric, savage and irresponsible act by those who are believed to have shot down the ill-fated Flight MH17.
24. Nevertheless, for the moment, we are not pointing fingers at anyone, until the facts have been obtained.
25. I am made to understand that the region where the tragedy occurred is under the control of a separatist group. Nevertheless, I felt angry and disappointed over two matters:
Firstly, when I was informed that they did not regard the crash site as a prohibited area and did not adhere to the international standard practice of ensuring that evidence is not removed or impaired.
Secondly, the delay in attending to the tragedy, which resulted in the failure to accord the bodies of the victims the honour and dignity they rightly deserve.
26. In addition, Malaysia called on the ICAO, as the guardian of civil aviation security worldwide, to issue a resolution strongly condemning the attack on Flight MH17, as had been done in cases of a similar nature.
27. Furthermore, the shooting down of the Flight MH17 commercial aircraft is a most cruel act and a brutal and violent crime.
Mr Speaker Sir,
28. As stated in Annex 13 of the ICAO Convention, the Government of Ukraine has to assume responsibility to undertake an investigation as to the cause of the crash. A report on the investigation has to be given to the next-of-kin of the victims as provided for in the ICAO guidelines.
29. Of course, Malaysia would offer unwavering support to participate in this investigation. For the record, the Malaysian Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, and Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, were among those who had gone to Kiev, Ukraine.
30. Malaysia also welcomes the call for an investigation by an independent international team on the crash, and urges all quarters to cooperate to ensure that the probe can be completed. We demand and support an independent international investigation into the tragedy. Those responsible for this tragedy have to be brought to justice.
31. Last Friday, we sent a plane with a special team of 133 people, comprising a SMART team, technical officers, a medical team, and Jakim officers, to the crash site. A special investigation team was also set up, comprising representatives from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Britain and the United States.
32. MAS sent 40 staff to Amsterdam to provide assistance and moral support to the families of the victims.
33. Furthermore, I received many telephone calls from world leaders who expressed their support and sympathy and promised to extend aid in whatever form that they can. On behalf of the government and people of Malaysia, I expressed thanks for the support they and the world community have extended to Malaysia.
Mr Speaker Sir,
Three Successful Deals
34. In principle, the treatment accorded to the bodies of the victims was wrong, but following consultation with the head of the separatist group, we managed to avert further damage.
35. It is unnecessary for us to announce every action taken. Sometimes we must work quietly in the service of a better outcome, especially when negotiating with the head of a separatist group, with the desire to ensure that the bodies of the victims can be retrieved and given a decent burial, even though time has passed.
36. On Monday 21 July, 2014, under difficult circumstances, I was forced to make a risky decision in the best interests of the bodies of the victims of the tragedy and to be certain of the reality of what had happened.
37. In this matter, I consulted Alexander Borodai, the head of the pro-Russia separatist group, because the region is under their control. The consultation yielded three deals:
i) Firstly, all the recovered bodies of the MH17 tragedy victims, estimated to be 282, were taken from Torev to Kharkiv in Ukraine by train before being flown to Amsterdam, along with six members of the Malaysian recovery team at 1am on Tuesday, 22 July, 2014, and arriving there at 11am local time. Following forensic work in Amsterdam, the bodies of all Malaysians will be brought back to our country as soon as possible. I undertook to do this and will do everything I can because I had promised the families of the victims when I met them that, as far as possible, the victims can be laid to rest before Syawal. Only then will the families of the victims have peace of mind.
ii) Secondly, the two black boxes of Flight MH17 were handed over to the Malaysian team in Donetsk at 9pm Ukraine time on Monday, 21 July, 2014. Without the black boxes, it will be difficult for us to carry on with the investigation. The black boxes have been handed over to the investigation team led by the Netherlands and will be sent to London for further investigation.
iii) Thirdly, all the members of the independent international team of investigators are to be given access to the crash site and a guarantee of safety to undertake a comprehensive probe into the MH17 tragedy. However, this has yet to be fully realised.
Solidarity and Unity
Mr Speaker Sir,
38. In fact, this has been a very tragic calendar for us. Nevertheless, in this difficult period in the month of Ramadan, we must strengthen our solidarity and unity in facing this situation. God willing.
39. No words can describe the grief. Nothing can replace the loss of a loved one. Thus, in facing these difficult times, regardless of our political and religious background, we must remain united as one nation, 1Malaysia.
40. Therefore, do not engage in any speculation that can cause embarrassment to the victims of the tragedy and their families. This is not the time to splash on the social media stories which can be factually wrong or false.
41. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Opposition Leader (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and the Gelang Patah MP (Lim Kit Siang) and the leaders of other political parties for having likened the MH17 tragedy to genocide and for calling for the murderers to be brought to justice.
42. Nevertheless, while we are enveloped by sorrow and profound grief, we have never forgotten the misfortune that has befallen our Palestinian brothers in Gaza who have lost many innocent lives as a result of cruelty and injustice. Therefore, we call for an immediate ceasefire.
Conclusion
Mr Speaker Sir,
43. Although we have done a lot, much more remains to be done. We may be up against challenges and various obstacles, but we will never give up half way.
44. As such, we urge that the investigation must be conducted by an independent team to ascertain the cause of the crash of Flight MH17. Some questions demand immediate answers, such as to whether the aircraft was fired upon with a guided missile, who was the perpetrator of the crime and what was the motive for the attack.
45. Furthermore, was the shooting premeditated, with the intention to shoot down a commercial flight, or a mistake? All of these require clear and authentic proof.
46. No matter what we do, we cannot bring back the dead. Imagine how a one-year-old child will grow up without the love of its father, namely Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi, the co-pilot who perished in the tragedy. More saddening is that the mother has lost her husband.
47. What about the fate and future of Amarpal Singh? How depressed will this medical student be whose cost of study had been borne by his father who was a victim of the tragedy?
48. Just imagine what grandmother Jamillah Noriah Abang Anuar of Kuching, Sarawak, would be feeling, having lost six members of her beloved family.
49. Personally, I am able to feel what they are going through. My step grandmother was one of the victims.
50. More saddening is the fact the world has lost a group of scientists who were involved in Aids and HIV research. These people were on their way to attend the International Aids Conference in Australia.
51. In fact, there are many more stories that I cannot mention here. For example, the Netherlands lost 192 of its people in the tragedy. The number is very large when taken as a ratio of the population of that country.
52. I am of the opinion that geopolitical upheavals do not benefit anyone. They just make people suffer when they lose their loved ones, and the world stands to lose competent human beings.
53. As for the families of the victims of the MH17 tragedy, I wish to tell them not to be worried because, so long as we do not have the answers, we will not stop seeking the truth. No matter how difficult it may be, we will demand justice for the sake of the families of the victims.
Mr Speaker Sir,
54. Let us walk through this difficult time together, united in grief. Hopefully, God will give us assistance and enlightenment for a solution in the end.
55. Above all, during this blessed final days of Ramadan, let us indulge in more prayers and hope that God will guide us to a solution through our efforts. We must believe that any period of hardship that we pass through will be followed closely by a period of ease, as set by God.
Mr Speaker Sir, I beg to table the motion.
Thank you. – Bernama