By Capt Kamil Abu Bakar
MARCH 8 marked the 7th year of flight MH370 going missing. Many local dailies, carried stories about its disappearance with one person interviewed calling for the search for the aircraft to be continued.
The good thing from amongst those interviewed, the next of kin especially, they all seemed to have accepted and are reconciled with their loss and have moved on with life.
I, however, did not pick up anything written about the well-being of the family members of the commander, Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, who has been subjected to much slander and deceitful accusations.
Touching first on the call for the search to be continued, let us get real about this. I remember what one Aussie member of the search team said during a TV interview – “This is far more difficult than looking for a needle in a haystack. We don’t even know where the haystack is.” And we still don’t know! Why must we reconvene the exercise when we do not have any new clue where it might be?
Besides, we have already put in tremendous effort and spent what was reported to be around RM160 mil in the previous search, only to find nothing.
Why must we spend more, when we can spend the money on other things like feeding the poor or giving to the needy? Maybe just to show we care and make some people happy. Pardon me if that sounds callous but we must accept the fact that in life, there are three certainties; which are tax, criticism and death (if indeed that was so in this case).
As it is, nobody can say for certain that all those on board; the two pilots, 10 cabin crew and 227 passengers died, simply because, no wreckage or bodies were found. What is certain though, they went missing together with the aircraft.
Stop slandering defenseless Zaharie
I have no personal interest whatsoever in this unfortunate incident. However, being a former pilot as well as former Director of Flight Operations of the airline, l really feel the loss of my fellow colleagues, and of course all the passengers on board as well and the aircraft.
For the record, Zaharie during the early days, was my co-pilot and l also personally know some of the senior cabin crew operating the flight.
I am especially disturbed with all sorts of allegations being thrown at Zaharie, that he could be responsible for the aircraft going missing. I do not want to repeat them here. They are all over the Internet.
All l wish to say is that, all the allegations are unfounded. All the ensuing speculations made by many individuals and the hypotheses made by “experts” are nothing less than preposterous. Zaharie cannot defend himself. In the absence of any evidence, please stop speculating into what happened.
As we all know, the accident was thoroughly investigated and a lengthy report was produced. However, for lack of evidence, no wreckage, no recorders, conclusive findings could not be made.
The Government (of Malaysia) has repeatedly given the assurance, that if new evidence were to emerge, the investigation will be reopened.
Let us therefore move on with life. Understandably in the first instance, the next of kin will feel the sense of sadness over the loss of their loved ones. That is natural, but grieving should not go on forever.
In my personal capacity and representing my other fellow ex-colleagues at Malaysia Airlines, can l call upon everyone to now put a closure to this very unfortunate episode of our flying history? I am appealing that this subject be no longer talked about or raised, so that the next of kin, the families of those missing, can go on with their lives.
I am aware it is not appropriate for the Government or even the airline to make this call but being a former “Chief”, l am stepping forward to make this appeal so that everybody can be at peace.
Let us forget the whole incident and move forward. – March 14, 2021
Capt Kamil Abu Bakar was a former Malaysia Airlines Director of Flight Operations, chief pilot, Flight Safety & Security director and member of the International Advisory Committee of Flight Safety Foundation.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
