MH17: Eight more remains to be flown home on Tuesday - Muhyiddin

He said the ceremony honouring the victims of the tragedy would also be held in the vicinity of the Bunga Raya Complex of the KL International Airport on the same day.

At present, the remains were undergoing documentation process in Amsterdam, he said in a statement here today.

Detailed information on the remains would be announced by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein after chairing the MH17 Tragedy Repatriation Ceremony Coordination Committee scheduled for Monday, he said.

"The repatriation of the seven remains of the Malaysian victims will bring the total to 31 remains of Malaysian victims identified so far," he said.

Twenty-four remains of Malaysian victims of the MH17 tragedy had been repatriated since last Friday.

Muhyiddin, said the government hoped at all quarters, including members of the media, would respect the privacy and show some sensitivity towards the families of the victims.

Last Friday the first batch of 20 remains of Malaysian victims, comprising 11 passengers and nine crew members of the downed flight MH17, were flown home.

The remains of another victim arrived on Saturday, while three other remains arrived the following day.

On the same development, Muhyiddin said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had tried to ensure that the Malaysian security and investigation team would be allowed to return to the crash site to resume their duties to find the remains of other victims.

"In handling the tragedy, the Malaysian government has been very consistent that the perpetrators should be taken to justice and punished with the heaviest penalties," he said.

Flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17 as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is believed to have been shot down over the troubled country.

Forty-three of those on-board the ill-fated flight were Malaysians.