KUALA LUMPUR, 22 August 2014 - More than a month after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine, the remains of 20 Malaysian passengers were finally brought back to their home country today.
17 are placed in coffins, while three arrived in urns as they were already cremated. 11 are Muslims, while the rest follow a different religion.
Coinciding with the arrival, 22 August has been declared as a National Day of Mourning, with Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak and Malaysian Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Al-Haj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah officiating the sombre ceremony at KLIA. Cabinet ministers, Chief Ministers and the families of the victims are also in attendance.
Malaysians were told to wear black clothes, while the national flag will be flown at half-mast. Government agencies, businesses and citizens were also requested to refrain from festive activities.
“The ceremony to honour the victims will be solemn, as the occasion demands,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. However, the second batch of remains is expected to arrive on Sunday, once the Dutch authorities have completed all the necessary paperwork.
“For the rest of the remains, we are still waiting for the signal from the Netherlands and it is being monitored by the Transport Ministry and MAS. After 22 August, there is a possibility of a flight every few days so the next-of-kin won’t have to wait long.”
In total, 298 passengers were killed when the plane was struck by a surface-to-air missile over rebel-held eastern Ukraine on 17 July while it was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
193 were Dutch nationals, 43 Malaysians including 15 crew members and two infants, 27 Australians, 12 Indonesian including 1 infant, 10 Britons including 1 dual UK/South African citizen, 4 Germans, 4 Belgians, 3 Filipinos, 1 Canadian and 1 New Zealander.
Passengers came from all walks of life — tourists, scholars, a leading AIDS researcher and an international athlete. Some were going home to reunite with their loved ones, but all their dreams were shattered by this senseless tragedy.
Making matters worse, the recovery of the bodies at the crash in Donetsk, Ukraine have been stopped due to fighting between the Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russian rebels.
“MH17 has become a geopolitical issue,” said Malaysia Airlines, calling for greater cooperation in the search-and-recovery effort.
“Citizens of 11 nations – none of whom are involved in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine – cannot be laid to rest. Their lives were taken by violence; now violence stops them being accorded their final respect. This cannot continue,” it added.
Furthermore, the families of the victims are crying for justice, while the perpetrators of this heinous crime remain at large.