MH17: Number of counsellors to assist families of crash victims to be increased

Twenty-five counsellors are now working full-time to assist families of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) MH17 crash victims, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.

She said 36 counselling sessions had been held to date since the aircraft crashed in east Ukraine on July 17 while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

"Each family can refer to the counsellor especially assigned to them so that the session could be carried out more effectively," she said.

She disclosed this to reporters after attending the first meeting of the Preparation Coordination Committee for Implementing the Ceremony to Receive the Remains of Malaysian Nationals in the MH17 Tragedy, here Thursday.

Rohani said her ministry planned to increase the number of counsellors when the remains of the MH17 crash arrived in Malaysia later.

The Boeing 777 aircraft, with 298 passengers and crew members including 43 Malaysian nationals, was believed to have been shot down near the Ukraine border with Russia.

The meeting Thursday, which was chaired by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, among others saw the distribution of functions to 10 ministries for the ceremony later.

They included the Defence Ministry which acts as the coordinator while the Foreign Ministry was assigned to coordinate relations between Malaysia, Holland and Ukraine.

The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development was involved in the management and burial of the remains with the respective state governments and local authorities.

Meanwhile, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom was given the responsibility to handle the remains of Muslim victims while the remains of non-Muslims would be managed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Joseph Kurup.