MH17 STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER NAJIB RAZAK

DURING JOINT PRESS BRIEFING IN THE NETHERLANDS

WITH PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE


Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Like the Netherlands, Malaysia is in mourning. We mourn the loss of all 298 lives on
board MH17.

2. And as we watched the first bodies arrive in Eindhoven, our hearts reached out to
the people of the Netherlands, who have lost so much.

3. The flags flying at half-mast told their own story: of the nations who lost their sons
and daughters. And of our determination to work together to bring them home.

4. Malaysia stands with the Netherlands, with Australia; with all countries whose
people have been lost. We stand together, united in grief, and ready to help
however we can.

5. Earlier, Prime Minister Rutte and I spoke about the continued military activity at the
crash site; the inability of international investigators to deploy across it; and the
human remains that may still lie there.

6. For the sake of the grieving families, it is imperative that all remains at the crash site
are repatriated as soon as possible. Every single victim must be given dignity and a
decent funeral.

7. Our other priority is to ensure the international investigators are given full and
unfettered access to the site, so that they may collect evidence and carry out their
vital work. Only then will we be able to find out what happened to MH17; only then
can we achieve justice for the victims and their families.

8. The conflict in Eastern Ukraine may not be easily resolved. But the people on board
that plane had no part in it.

9. We ask that there be an immediate cessation of hostilities in and around the crash
site by both Ukrainian and separatist forces.

10. We ask that all sides respect the lives lost, and the integrity of the site, so that the
investigation may proceed. The long walk towards justice begins with this step.

11. A team of 68 Malaysian police has arrived Kiev today. They will work together with
the Dutch and Australian teams to help secure access to the site.

12. Malaysia fully supports the international investigation, and we are grateful to the
Netherlands for their lead role in the international team.

13. Repatriating the remains of victims as fast as possible is a shared priority. Malaysian
experts are already helping here in the Netherlands with the painstaking task of
identification and we stand ready to provide more assistance if required.

14. On behalf of Malaysia, I would like to thank Prime Minister Rutte and the Dutch
people for all they have done, and continue to do, for the victims of this senseless
and tragic act.

Thank you.

ENDS