To blame one is to blame nearly all for MH370, Hishammuddin says

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — “Nearly the whole world” should also be accountable if any country were to be blamed for the still-unsuccessful MH370 search mission, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today, as criticisms continue to pour in over Malaysia’s handling of the aviation disaster.
The acting transport minister pointed out that 26 nations had joined in the search for the Malaysia Airlines plane that went missing more than two months ago, in an unprecedented hunt across land, sea and air.
But today, 70 days since the Boeing 777 aircraft carrying 239 people vanished, searchers have not uncovered a single piece of debris to prove the plane’s last known location.
“If you want to apportion blame, you have to apportion blame to nearly the whole world,” Hishammuddin said in an interview with several newspapers here today on MH370.
He pointed out that what happened to MH370 could happen to airlines from the US, China, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar.
“It can happen to anybody,” he said.
“Are you trying to say we’ve done so badly? We’ve lasted this long. Okay, we haven’t found the plane, but it’s unprecedented,” Hishammuddin added.
The minister questioned how Malaysia could be held responsible for something “unprecedented” and said investigations were still ongoing.
“Taking responsibility for something that has not unfolded as of yet is premature,” said Hishammuddin.
When pointed out that South Korea’s prime minister had resigned shortly after the ferry sinking that has left more than 300 people dead or missing, Hishammuddin shot back: “But did the president resign?”
“You have to look at it in the context of the political structure of Korea,” he said.
British newspaper The Guardian reported last month that Chung Hong-won’s resignation appeared to be symbolic as South Korean executive power is largely in the hands of the president.
Hishammuddin also said today that even if Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya were to resign over the disaster, the missing plane would not suddenly turn up.
“You might say we’re responsible; we apologise also, are you saying that 26 countries that have been with us have not done their job? If you’re talking about we don’t have enough technology, the best technology that is available out there, is it also our responsibility? They’re not even our assets,” he said.
Advanced countries like the US, UK and Australia have contributed to the search by deploying sophisticated underwater equipment and military aircraft.
Hishammuddin said he was currently focused on the underwater search coordinated by Malaysia, the US and China.
“Malaysia is well-poised to move forward,” he said.
Hishammuddin also said it was not easy for other countries to do what Malaysia had done in the MH370 crisis, pointing out that Vietnam had allowed Chinese vessels to enter Vietnamese waters in search of the plane, despite the territorial dispute between both countries.
“I think it’s because of Malaysia’s leadership,” he said.