Najib's secret diplomacy with rebels shows his sincerity, says Zahid

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's secret diplomacy with pro-Russian rebels to reach an agreement to retrieve the bodies and black boxes from the MH17 crash site shows that the Prime Minister is sincere in trying to get things done.

"We needed to find the bodies, and so we had to explore all resources.

"The airline belongs to us. It was the PM's responsibility to show his commitment to resolve the matter," he told Astro AWANI in an exclusive interview from Kiev.

Ahmad Zahid said the tragedy was unexpected and the sorrow is shared by all, especially with the families of those who perished.

"This (the tragedy) was unexpected. When it happened, we felt that something needed to be done fast.

"Our commitment is to collaborate with the international community to investigate and bring hard evidence to court if necessary," he pledged.

Ahmad Zahid also said he was happy with the pace of things, but insisted that lots of patience is needed.

"This is a very complicated investigation. We need to be extra patient. If the incident happened in a non-conflict area, it would have been easier for us to handle. But because it was in a conflict area, we have to handle the issue with care," he said.

Flight MH17, which was carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew members, was allegedly shot down by separatists in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, while on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17.