Declassify MH370 papers, govt urged

KUALA LUMPUR: An application has been sent to Transport Minister Anthony Loke to declassify documents on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 tragedy by the next-ofkin of three passengers.

The letter, dated yesterday, said the documents were needed for a trial pertaining to a suit filed by the children and parents of Tan Ah Meng, 46, and his wife Chuang Hsiu Ling @ Cindy Chuang, 45, who perished in the incident, that will be heard on Aug 3.

The defendants in the suit are the government, Malaysia Airlines System Berhad and the Department of Civil Aviation (now called Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia).

The letter seeks the declassification of five documents – the flight’s recording and transcript of communications, letter of agreement for the search operation involving Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, the minutes of meetings held with relevant agencies, internal memos as well as the search and rescue report.

“We emphasise that these documents are crucial for the court to know the last communications details with the aircraft and the measures taken in the search and rescue operations carried out,” the relatives’ lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo said.

“It is imperative for a full and frank disclosure as more than 200 lives were lost without any logical reasoning or explanation.

“The family members are entitled to all details.”

Ah Meng, Hsiu Ling and their eldest son, Tan Wei Chew, 16, were among 239 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777 aircraft that disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014.

The couple’s other teenage sons Tan Wei Hong and Tan Wei Jie, along with Ah Meng’s parents Tan Hun Khong and Lai Chew Lai, and Hsiu Ling’s mother Chuang Hung Chien are suing over the loss of their three family members.