Prof Datuk Dr Ramlah Adam said, even though the event marks a black day in the country’s history, the memorial should be observed as a tribute to the sad episode that once befell the country.
“It might be a black day in the country’s history… I don’t deny that remembering the incident is one of the saddest things.
“This is why there should be a monument engraved with names, in a location as appropriate as Putrajaya, to reminisce the lives of those on board MH370. It reminds us to remember those who are no longer here.
“We don’t want people to forget them, ever,” she told Astro AWANI recently.
The memorial in Tanjung Kupang, Johor that serves as a tribute to the 100 people who died in the Malaysia Airlines MH635 crash in 1977.
Dr Ramlah, who is University Malaysia Perlis’ (UniMAP) Malaysian Royal Institutions Research Centre director, was asked about a suggestion to have a memorial, such as the one in Tanjung Kupang in Gelang Patah, Johor, that was erected following the MH635 crash in 1977 there.
The MH635 had claimed 100 lives, including several VIPs at the time, and was the national carrier’s first ever air crash.
Said Dr Ramlah, who is also a history expert, the memorial in Putrajaya could also be seen as one of the country’s humanitarian effort in the eyes of the world.
“Our humanity, our sympathy, our empathy will be evident. We show that we still remember those who were lost in tragedy.
“Also, relatives and friends of those on board MH370 from other countries can also come to pay their respects at the memorial,” she said.
Dr Ramlah encouraged for the memorial to be erected in Putrajaya because it is the government administrative centre.
Hearsay about the building of the MH370 memorial began a few months after the Boeing-777 aircraft disappeared from radars on March 8 last year.
It is believed the hearsay came about following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s announcement on March 24, 2014 that Flight MH370 had ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the management of Putrajaya Corporation declined comments on the suggestion for the memorial.
NOTE: Catch Astro AWANI’s exclusive interviews with Malaysian Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, and MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya today from 7am on Channel 501. Also visit the MH370 special tribute website at astroawani.com to commemorate the incident’s one year anniversary.
