The agreement between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need for justice in shooting down flight MH17 is a good sign for investigation into the incident.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said as a victim, Malaysia needed the cooperation of Russia in the investigation to identify the parties responsible for the tragedy in Ukraine in July, 2014.
"Everyone knows that we were the victims, attacked and shot down by BUK guided missiles. We must find those responsible for bringing down the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft.
"It was over this matter that the Prime Minister met Putin. Getting the agreement and cooperation of Russia is a good start towards understanding what really happened to our aircraft," he said when commenting on the developments into investigations into the MH17 incident following Najib's meeting with Putin in Sochi, Russia on Thursday.
Liow was speaking to reporters after attending the launch of the "UKM Alumni's Wall of Fame" at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) here Friday.
In the meeting held in conjunction with the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit, Najib and Putin agreed that Malaysia and Russia would hold further discussions to ensure that justice is done in the MH17 incident after the report by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
READ: Putin ready to discuss downing of MH17 with Najib: Kremlin
READ: Russian 'spies' accused of trying to hack MH17 inquiry
The Prime Minister was also reported to have reiterated Malaysia's stand that it wanted the MH17 investigated until the end to satisfy the families of the victims who wanted justice.
Liow said on behalf of the ministry, he wanted to thank the Prime Minister for his continuous assistance in searching for those responsible and getting justice for the victims' families.
"As a follow-up, we will hold talks with Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia and Ukraine to form an arbitration body for the MH17 case," he said, adding that the ministry would get Najib's views on the matter first before it is finalized.
On July 17, 2015, the Dutch Safety Board concluded its investigations with the finding that the Boeing 777 jet was hit by a Russian guided missile (BUK).
They said it was launched from a territory controlled by pro-Russian rebels but did not identify the parties responsible for the tragedy.
However, Russia has since denied the matter and asked the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to conduct a new investigation into the tragedy.
In a separate development, Liow said the ministry has not received any application or appeals from operators of commercial vehicles or public transportation to use foreign drivers.
The ministry via the Road Transport Department was serious in tackling the case of foreigners driving public transportation, and was firm in reminding operators or company owners that their business license would be withdrawn if they contravened the regulations concerning allowing foreigners to be drivers.
The media reported that 166 foreigners were detained since January for driving commercial vehicles, an offence under the RTD Act, which states that the Goods Driving License (GDL) would not be issued to foreigners for business using vehicles in this country.
On the UKM Alumni Wall of Fame, Liow who was chosen as Most Famous Alumni said it was an honour to him as a former student and was confident that the involvement of the alumni in supporting and contributing to the university was important the university's growth.
Besides Liow, others who were listed include Second Deputy Minister of Education Chong Sin Woon; Malaysian Teachers Foundation executive chairman Tan Seri Alimuddin Mohd Dom; Deputy Chief Commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Datuk Seri Shukri Abdull and Accountant-General Datuk Che Pee Samsudin.
Since it was set up in May 1970, UKM has produced 176,009 alumni.
Bernama
Sat May 21 2016
The reconstructed wreckage of the MH17 airplane is seen after the presentation of the final report into the crash of July 2014 of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine, in Gilze Rijen, the Netherlands, Oct 13, 2015. - Filepic
Baling bom petrol di pusat hiburan: Dua lagi lelaki didakwa
Dua lelaki mengaku tidak bersalah atas pertuduhan melakukan khianat dengan membaling bom petrol di sebuah pusat hiburan di ibu kota.
12 terbunuh dipanah petir di Bengal Barat, India
Sekurang-kurangnya 12 orang terbunuh dan beberapa lagi mangsa cedera pada Khamis akibat dipanah petir di Bengal Barat, di timur India.
MyCEB lebar luas rangkaian dengan para pemain acara perniagaan di IMEX Frankfurt
Penyertaan tahun ini tepat pada masanya ketika MyCEB, agensi di bawah MOTAC, menggembleng usaha mempromosikan Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2026.
Serangan Balai Polis Ulu Tiram: Ambil tindakan tegas ke atas pihak lakukan kekacauan - PM
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mahu tindakan tegas diambil terhadap pihak yang cuba melakukan kekacauan di Malaysia sehingga meragut nyawa.
ABIM gesa rakyat bertenang, serahkan siasatan kepada PDRM
Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) menggesa rakyat untuk bertenang dan menyerahkan sepenuhnya siasatan serta tindakan kepada Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) serta pihak berkuasa berkaitan.
Keganasan terhadap pegawai polis, satu tindakan mengerikan
Membunuh, menyebabkan kecederaan yang teruk dan pencerobohan serta keganasan terhadap pegawai polis di balai polis adalah satu tindakan mengerikan dan kejam.
MEASAT, mudah Healthtech wujud Kiosk telekesihatan pertama
Melalui platform Sihat Xpress, penduduk kampung boleh menggunakan kiosk telekesihatan untuk memeriksa tahap oksigen, tekanan darah, suhu badan dan kandungan gula dalam darah, selain berunding dengan doktor secara dalam talian.
Serangan Balai Polis Ulu Tiram: KPN zahir ucapan takziah kepada keluarga mangsa
Ketua Polis Negara menzahirkan ucapan takziah buat ahli keluarga dua anggota polis yang maut dalam serangan di Balai Polis Ulu Tiram pagi tadi.
AWANI Ringkas: Siasatan termasuk bedah siasat | 47 penerbangan mendarat di Madinah
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Wanita warga emas ditemukan meninggal dunia dalam rumah dilanda banjir
Seorang wanita warga emas ditemukan meninggal dunia di sebuah rumah yang dilanda banjir di Kampung Temerlok, Trong dekat Taiping, pagi tadi.
PRU15: 'Perubahan situasi hari ini menakjubkan, membuka mata saya' - Tiong Lai
Tiong Lai antara lain menjelaskan persepsi terhadap 'partinya' kini bertukar 180 darjah dalam tempoh sehari selepas PRU15.
PRU15: Rara berjaya tawan Bentong
Young Syefura Othman dari Pakatan Harapan (PH) berjaya menawan kerusi Parlimen Bentong meskipun bersaing sengit dengan pencabarnya daripada Barisan Nasional (BN), Tan Sri Liong Tiow Lai.
PRU15: 'Sakit hati tengok Bentong ke belakang, rakyat tidak akan tertipu kali kedua' - Tiong Lai
Liow Tiong Lai yakin mampu membawa pembangunan di kawasan itu sekiranya diberi mandat pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15), 19 November ini.
PRU15: Young Syefura sah bertanding kerusi Parlimen Bentong
Beliau dijangka berdepan saingan sengit daripada bekas Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai yang dikatakan mahu merebut semula kerusi terbabit.
PRU15: Parlimen Bentong bakal jadi kerusi panas?
Parlimen Bentong menjadi kerusi selamat buat MCA selama 13 PRU sebelum dirampas DAP pada tahun 2018.
PRU15: MCA sokong penuh pencalonan Liow rampas kembali Parlimen Bentong
MCA menyokong penuh pencalonan bekas Ahli Parlimen Bentong Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai untuk merampas kembali kerusi tersebut pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-15 (PRU15).
Acryl Sani, Nor Shamsiah, Azam Baki, Hadi Awang dianugerah gelaran Tan Sri
Seramai 19 individu menerima Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) yang turut membawa gelaran Tan Sri.
BN belum terima permohonan rasmi MCA keluar parti
Barisan Nasional menghormati keputusan dibuat parti-parti teras dan apa pun keputusan mesti dibuat secara rasmi untuk tindakan selanjutnya.
Tiong Lai tidak mampu menahan deraian air mata
Dalam ucapan terakhirnya sebagai presiden, Tiong Lai zahirkan penghargaan kepada mereka yang membantu mengembangkan karier politiknya.
Wee Ka Siong presiden baharu MCA
Satu-satunya wakil rakyat MCA di Dewan Rakyat itu, memperoleh 447 undi dan mengatasi saingan terdekatnya Ketua MCA Bahagian Kluang, Gan Ping Sieu yang memperoleh 182 undi.