KUALA LUMPUR: Some next of kin of flight MH370 passengers and crew members have rebutted Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) statement that it notified the families of Putrajaya’s move to declare the plane lost in an accident before the announcement was made last Thursday.

They said they were astonished that MAS made such a claim when they never received any calls or text messages informing them of the change in the plane’s status.

“I would like to challenge them to meet me and the rest of the families face-to-face if they say they have the evidence that they sent the messages out to us.

“I wanted to laugh when I read their announcement. What a blatant lie ... My aunt and uncle received nothing. Who did they call?” asked Mohd Sahril Shaari whose cousin was on board MH370.

The flight disappeared from radar on March 8 last year, less than an hour after it had taken off from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing. It was carrying 239 people on board.

Elaine Chew, whose husband was on the plane, said she had only heard “rumours” about an announcement but her attempt to confirm it failed when no information was available.

“I knew there would be a press conference. I heard about the rumour since Jan 27 but all attempts to find out what it was all about or if it was true that there would be a press conference were futile.

“I asked my caregiver many times but was told that she was not aware of it,” said Chew, referring to the staff that the airline had appointed through its Family Support Centre to liaise with the next of kin after the plane’s disappearance last year.

Chew said she has evidence — phone communication logs — to prove that MAS never informed her of the announcement. She said many of other families also keep a log of their conversations with their caregivers on the matter.

“I have the proof. I can confirm with you there was no communication telling me about the declaration prior to the announcement,” said Chew.

Because she could not confirm the announcement, she said she did not watch the telecast on public television channel RTM1. “I was working. So I was not able to watch. It is sad with how they have treated us,” she said.

The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) last Thursday announced in a live telecast that all 239 passengers and crew on board the missing flight were presumed dead as the plane was now declared lost in an accident.

Prior to the live telecast, the DCA had called for a press conference in the afternoon which some next of kin had attended. But the civil aviation authority cancelled the briefing at the last minute, and said it was because of the presence of the family members.

Another next of kin, Jacquita Gonzales, whose husband was on the plane, said she did receive a call from her caregiver who alerted her about the press conference but no information was given about the status of the plane. “Yes, I can confirm I received a call from the caregiver. But there was no information relayed to me about the declaration.

“He just asked me to watch the announcement on television. He could not tell what it was about. I am not sure if any of the government agencies and MAS talk to each other in how to deal with the family members on this matter.

“You keep saying this is [an] unprecedented incident and yet you are taking everything lightly,” said Gonzales.

She also said the announcement by the government was “cold and insensitive”.

“You declared that my husband’s plane met with an accident and you announced it on television. Even those who meet with a road accident receive more respect. The police go to the house to tell the family”.

Meanwhile, Sarah Bajc whose partner was on the plane said she was not aware of the declaration until she was informed by the media. “I however received an email from MAS a day after the declaration on Thursday,” she said.

MAS on Feb 1 said it notified all the families and relatives of passengers on board the plane ahead of Putrajaya’s announcement on Thursday to declare the plane lost in an accident and all those on it dead. “All next of kin were notified via telephone calls and, in certain instances, by text messages, when the calls were unanswered.  — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 4, 2015.