Bring our father home, plead daughters of sacked MAS steward

Family members of a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) steward, who is being held by French police since August for a sexual assault case involving a female passenger, have requested to have the 57-year-old cabin crew sent back to Malaysia for investigations.

"If there needs to be an investigation, why can't he be investigated in Malaysia as stipulated under the Tokyo Convention 1963?" the steward's son-in-law Mohamad Faiq Ilhan said during a press conference at a hotel here on Saturday.

The 24-year-old, who spoke on behalf of the steward's three daughters, said the family's lawyer and the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) had written a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Foreign Ministry on the matter.

"We miss our father very much and don't know what else we can do.

"We can only hope that willing parties will come forward to help bring our father home," Mohamad Faiq read a statement from the steward's daughters.

The family also expressed disappointment at MAS for sacking the steward, who had served the national carrier for 32 years, especially as he has yet to be charged and tried for the alleged crime.

The notification of termination was sent via a letter to the family's home in the Klang Valley on Aug 22, some two weeks after the incident reportedly took place.

The family had filed a petition to MAS to reconsider the termination but the airline has yet to respond.

"The letter stated that my father had 60 days to appeal against the termination knowing very well that he was under detention in Paris and was not in Malaysia.

"MAS has not rendered us any assistance to help our father. MAS left us in a predicament and this is very disappointing and saddening for the family," Mohamad Faiq added.

One of the steward's daughters, Syaza, recounted a meeting with her father as he was being held at a detention centre in Paris, in early October.

"We were so sad. During that one week, we managed to see him three times.

"He lost so much weight and is under a lot of pain and duress. My father has developed dietary problems, he is stressed and has high blood pressure.

"The saddest part was, on the final day, we were unable to promise him when he can come home," the 24-year-old said while holding back tears.

Mohamad Faiq and Syaza holding up messages pleading to the powers that be to bring home their father. - Photo: Syafique Shuib

Meanwhile, Nufam president Ismail Nasaruddin voiced his disappointment over the steward's sacking.

"Why did they terminate his employment so early? He has yet to be charged. MAS was supposed to help the family seek legal counsel.

"The welfare of employees must be given utmost important," he said at the press conference.

The family, Ismail said, is considering taking legal action against MAS.

"Our priority now is to bring the steward home," he added.

In August, an Australian woman, Laura Bushney claimed that the steward had sexually assaulted her during the MH20 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris.

The steward was detained by police when the plane touched down at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on Aug 4.

"Malaysia Airlines expects and accepts nothing short of the highest standards of conduct from its crew and takes any such allegations very seriously.

"We will naturally assist the French authorities as they conduct their investigation and would stress that the safety, comfort and well-being of our passengers is always our highest priority," MAS had said in a media statement on Aug 14.

Ten days later, Bushney went on a TV show in a tell-all interview to recount the alleged attack.

She claimed that the steward placed his hands under the blanket and then down her pants, under the guise of 'comforting' her as she was afraid of flying.

"He's massaging my legs; I'm so scared I just want to get off this plane," she said during the interview with Channel Seven's talk show, Sunday Night.

Bushney, who was travelling by herself, said she recorded the incident on her iPhone hidden under a blanket on her lap.

"I just keep saying why didn't I scream, why didn't I shout? Why didn't I stop it? I am a strong person because I can do that, I know I can," said Bushney, who claimed she froze in panic to do anything, as quoted in a Sydney Morning Herald report..

Netizens had criticised Bushney and questioned the authenticity of the alleged incident following her TV interview.