100 Days On: What have we learned from this tragedy?

The mystery of the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 has spawned thousands of conspiracy theories, doubts and questions. People of the world are still wondering, where could this jet engine be?

What really happened to all the passengers? How are the family and friends of those involved coping life in anonymity?

It has been exactly a hundred days now, and the mystery remains a mystery.

Beyond all these questions and uncertainties, of speculations and rumours, the answers that we have and be certain of, would be on what exactly have we learned from this tragedy?

Changes in types of support

Providing services that cater to the needs of those affected by this incident is most crucial, MERCY Malaysia EXCO Dr Haryati Abdul Majid opined.

She said prior to offering their services, MERCY Malaysia had conducted a rapid needs assessment to fully understand who are the people affected, how they may be affected, and what kind of support should be provided to those who need them.

Focused on providing psychological aid, anxiety reduction techniques and psycho-education in the first few weeks, Haryati, who led the response team, learned that the cabin crew needed support as much as family members did.

"As we reach 100 days after the incident, we understand that the kind of support we provide will also change. Our support now focuses on building capacity, to ensure that those affected will be empowered to mobilise their own strengths to cope with the different demands this incident are creating and to prepare for any crisis that may happen in the future.

"And believe me, the people we are working with possess psychological strength that has helped them to persevere through this challenge that not many possess," she said.

The ropes to necessary knowledge and skills

After three months of facing a myriad of challenges that derived from this tragedy, Malaysians by now should know that the psychological resilience of Malaysia as a society and nation, highly depends on how we cope with the aftermath of this incident. This includes the responsibility for what we say and do, the unconditional support we provide to those affected, and the strategies we adopt to bounce back together, along with the perseverance and patience that comes with it.

"We need to learn to equip ourselves with the necessary knowledge and skills to cope with any unexpected events, we have to learn how to objectively evaluate sources of information, we have to be ethical in the way we treat others (e.g. in what we report and share), to ensure that we do not add unnecessary harm to those affected.

"Finally, and perhaps most importantly, for many, seeking solace in one’s faith, in the Creator, has helped many to cope with the challenges that come with the disappearance of MH370," said Haryati.

Crisis communication

In times of crisis, particularly one that is unprecedented, many claimed that Malaysia fell short in making the cut. While there were many who lauded the Malaysian Government's effort, many more claimed that the Government lacked efficiency and planning when it comes to crisis communications and management.

Manminder Kaur Dhillon, a connoisseur of communications who recently won gold for ‘Excellence in Public Relations-Crisis Communications 2013’ praised the response that MAS gave to all involved like the family members, its crew, the authorities and the media.

However, this was not so with the Malaysian government and authorities, she said. Manminder shared her views on what Malaysians and the Government can learn from this ordeal:

• "We need a National Crisis Communication Plan. The plan should be regularly tested so that when faced with any crisis, we can activate a Master Crisis Communications Team that consists of trained crisis communication specialists to manage the media and all stakeholders.

• "Spokespersons should be trained to face the media - this should be done annually.

• "Avoid having too many spokespersons. When different agencies are involved, such as the police, immigration and DCA (Department of Civil Aviation), there is no need for everyone to have a press conference and worse, contradict each other.

• "Don't have a press conference when you don't have the answers. Why not use a press statement instead?

• "Visual aids during the press conference - this is a huge crisis with too many facts, too many jargons (pings? Handshakes?). PowerPoint (slides) would've helped when briefing the media.

• "Bring in the experts: Malaysia has top, world class PR agencies and experts in this, why not utilise them? If we had the JACC (Joint Agency Coordination Centre), we should also have a JCCC (Joint Communications Coordination Centre). Why? We have the Transport Ministry, the police, Malaysian Immigration, DCA and foreign agencies. Who was coordinating the communications aspect?

• "Managing the press. Why were the foreign press given more priority? The national media should have been given the privilege to interview the Prime Minister, or interview the Acting Transport Minister on a search and rescue mission. Did the government down play the importance of the national media? This is important because the Malaysian media can help by taking the lead to quell speculative reports by the foreign press."

Patience is a virtue

With a vast search area and the involvement of 26 countries, our country not only faced a diplomatic nightmare on our hands but also the challenge of holding onto the promises we made to find the missing plane.

For Captain John M. Cox, the CEO and aviation safety expert with Safety Operating Systems, an aviation consulting firm in Washington DC, said to date, MH370 is one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

He said we have learned from the past that the airplane will be found, and that one of the most important lessons of this mystery is patience.

"The Boeing 777 has a fantastic safety record, the flight was under the command of an experienced Captain, and operated by a high quality airline, how could a mystery like the happen? That question remains unanswered until we locate the wreckage and analyse the recorders."

He said conspiracy theories or any other theories that were laid and proposed by others do not help the search and recovery mission at all. The only way the truth will prevail would be when the missing plane is recovered.

"There are already lessons learned, we have new technology from Inmarsat, who has now offered to track airplanes in remote parts of the world for a very low cost. We have see nations cooperate in the face of tragedy with unprecedented dedication. We have seen a multinational team sift through data and gain consensus. There will be more lessons learned….we'll have to be patient to see what they are."