MH370: One-child policy, burial rites among factors for Chinese nationals’ outburst, says Nazri

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the anger of Chinese nationals against Malaysia over the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft flight MH370 was not due to negative news or speculation spread over social media.

He said the primary reason for the Chinese people’s emotional outburst was mainly attributed to the country’s one-child policy.

“We have to understand that China has (had) a one-child policy for more than 30 years and for the families of passengers on the flight, they are worried and angered over the loss of their descendants,” he said when winding up the debate for his ministry on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Negara, Monday.

The one-child policy in China was enforced in 1979.

Mohamed Nazri said the anger was compounded by the Chinese belief that the dead should be given their last respects, whereby the body needed to be touched but in the case of MH370, the family members were still unclear on the status of their loved ones.

“The Chinese believe that for the final rites, the body must be touched. If not the body, at least they should know where the aircraft crashed.

“As both of these requirements are unfulfilled, they cannot conduct the final rites and in their frustration, they direct their anger at Malaysia.”

He said Malaysia understood the sorrow and complications faced by the relatives of the Chinese nationals, who formed the biggest number of passengers oboard the missing aircraft.

The Tourism and Culture Ministry had earlier announced it was suspending all forms of promotion and campaign for Visit Malaysia Year 2014 in China, in respecting the sensitivities of the people in that country. – Bernama