Chinese relatives of MH370 victims ask to meet Dr M

BEIJING: Chinese relatives of those who disappeared on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 have asked to meet Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he visits China this week.

The plane disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people – mostly from China – on board while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Amid heavy police presence, about a dozen relatives gathered outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing yesterday where they handed over a letter addressed to the Malaysian government.

“We ask that Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, or other representatives (of the Malaysian government) meet with Chinese relatives of those on board MH370 during the official visit,” the letter read.

Dr Mahathir will arrive in China today for a five-day visit, including a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday.

Other requests include resuming the search, a monthly meeting with airline and Malaysian officials, as well as for investigators to thoroughly explain the recent investigation report.

A similar letter was also given to the foreign ministry.

“We’re holding out hope that on this visit to China, (Mahathir) can quickly resolve the issue with MH370,” said Gu Xiu Fang, whose son and his family were on the plane.

“We don’t know anything about the situation. Our lives have stopped at March 8, 2014,” she said.

Relatives had earlier this month expressed frustration that the long-awaited official report – totalling some 1,500 pages – had no new clues about the missing airliner and had not been translated into Chinese. — AFP