The Malaysian Transport Ministry says without a doubt, every family and the next of kin who are affected by this tragedy deserves to see justice.
In a message to the media dated July 17, the ministry marks the fifth year of the tragic incident involving Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 which was shot down near Hrabove, a village in the eastern part of Ukraine.
“Within a blink of an eye, 298 people including 43 Malaysians onboard that fateful flight lost their lives, leaving their families and friends continue grieving till today.
“Five years might have passed but our resolve for accountability and justice would not wane. The Malaysian Government will continue to pursue those who were responsible for this heinous crime, and secure justice for the victims,” it says.
The ministry says Malaysia will continue to work with the other members of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) and other grieving nations as well as the international community in informing progress to the next of kin in searching for accountability and justice.
“Without a doubt, every family and the next of kin who are affected by this tragedy deserves to see justice. We sincerely hope that this will bring some measure of comfort and solace to the families and the next-of-kin of those who were lost in this tragedy,” says the media release.
“We hope and pray so that the families and loved ones of those on board will be given strength to resume normal lives, or as normal a life as may be possible without their loved ones. We will remain resolute in our pursuit, and we will leave no stone unturned until justice is served.”
The shooting down of the Boeing 777 travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur has prompted sanctions against Russia, a series of international investigations and criminal charges.
The JIT on June 19 charged four people — Russians Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinskiy and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko — with murder. All are linked to the separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, AFP reported.
They will be tried from March 9 next year in the Netherlands at a high-security courthouse near Schiphol Airport.
However it is unlikely that any of the men will be present at the trial as neither Russia nor Ukraine allows its citizens to be extradited, says AFP.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the probe showed “no proof” of Moscow’s guilt.