Ceremony honouring MH17 victims should not have been belittled

Certain quarters should not have belittled the Day of National Mourning and ceremony honouring the flight MH17 tragedy victims which was held last Friday, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.

He said the government had done the best in handling the MH17 tragedy that befallen the country, which could at least help to ease the burden of the victims' family members and next-of-kin.

"Actually as citizens we should also feel the grief of their family members and next-of-kin but unfortunately there are some quarters who always feel envy by making such accusations," he said when speaking at the Malaysian Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) Berhad's National Excellent Students Award Scheme launch here today.

The remains of 24 victims of the MH17 tragedy had been brought home to Malaysia up to yesterday with the identities of two victims not being disclosed at the request of their families.

Last Friday, the first group of 20 remains were accorded full military honours at the Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang.

Flight MH17 was carrying 298 passengers and crew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed on July 17 after it was shot down in Donetsk, east Ukraine.