4 August 2014 : Statement By Liow Tiong Lai, Minister Of Transport, Malaysia

“Efforts to locate and identify victims of the MH17 tragedy continue.

“Once bodies have been identified and the necessary forensic work completed, the next-of-kin will be informed. Arrangements for repatriating the bodies will then be discussed with the next-of-kin.

“At all times, we will be guided by the next-of-kin, and will endeavour to carry out repatriation in line with their wishes.

“Arrangements are being made for a national day of mourning once all remains have returned to Malaysia.”
 
ENDS

KHARKIV (Ukraine), July 22 (Bernama) -- Several members of a special Malaysian team of investigators received the bodies of people who were on board the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 which was believed to have been shot down in Ukraine last Thursday.

The bodies were taken in refrigerated coaches of a train to Kharkiv, about 500km from Kiev about noon (5pm Malaysian time).

Team head, Khairil Hilmi Mokhtar confirmed the arrival of the bodies when contacted by Bernama.

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- It was a coup for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when he announced early Tuesday, that Malaysia had secured agreement for the release of the victims' bodies and blackboxes on Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17, as well as for international investigators to have access to the crash site in Grabove, eastern Ukraine.

At a time when all seemed lost, his announcement was a welcome turning point in the stand-off between the international rescue teams and people who were in command over large swathes of land near the Russian border where the Boeing 777 aircraft had tragically crashed.

Najib deftly held his emotions in check when he said that in recent days, he had "wanted to give greater voice to the anger and grief the Malaysian people felt about the incident."

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