MH370: Malaysia to continue searching for missing flight - Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday expressed Malaysia's resolve to continue the search for the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 that has been missing since March 8.

He said the country would carry on with the search for the Boeing 777-200 aircraft with the assistance of several other countries despite having nothing to show after 59 days.

The disappearance of Flight MH370, bound from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was unprecedented in the history of aviation as the aircraft's telecommunications system had been shut off and hitherto unused methods had been employed in the search, he said when addressing the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister's Department here.

"Although we have yet to come up with results until now, the government is determined to continue with the search with the co-operation of friendly countries, particularly Australia which has shown extraordinary commitment to help Malaysia find our aircraft," he said.

Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa and Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal were also present at the assembly.

On President Barack Obama's visit to Malaysia recently, Najib described it as a success story as it was a huge life transformation process for the American leader.

The prime minister said when President Lyndon B. Johnson's came to Malaysia in 1966, he was only shown a rubber plantation at a Felda scheme that was later named the Felda Lyndon Scheme.

But 48 years later, Obama witnessed Malaysia's stunning economic growth, said Najib.

"This is something we can be proud of. This is attributed to not only considerations given to the country's current and short-term needs and requirements, but also to the government and administration's capability in making long-term plans," he said.

Malaysia was the third stop in Obama's four-nation tour of Asia, which started in Japan followed by South Korea. The president left on the last leg of his tour, to the Philippines.