M’sia looking at all avenues to bring culprits to justice

Festive greeting: Liow and his wife Datin Seri Lee Su Loo greeting guests at Adnan’s Hari Raya open house in Bentong.

BENTONG: Malaysia is looking at all avenues to demand justice against those responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the call for an international tribunal was one of the options.

He said the tribunal would have a more authoritative effect compared with action through the International Criminal Court, which could take a long time.

“The tribunal is one avenue but it is not the only one. We can have both but it all depends on the outcome of the investigations.

“We cannot allow anyone to carry out this kind of trigger-happy crime,” he said at Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob’s Hari Raya open house yesterday.

Malaysia had earlier presented a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council, calling for the setting up of a tribunal to prosecute the “killers”.

“We should know the decision by next week,” said Liow.

On reports that Russia had rejected the proposal for the tribunal, he said it was too early to say anything yet.

“They have to go through the process. I don’t want to jump the gun,” he said.

Liow said Malaysia was still waiting for the criminal investigation report on the downing of the plane, adding that the technical investigation had been completed and the final report would be released in October.

“The criminal investigations, conducted by the joint investigation team, will carry on until the end of the year or beyond and we hope to get an answer from it,” he said.

On the suit filed against MAS by Tim Lauschet, the son of an Australian victim of MH17, Liow said the man had the right to take legal action.

“We, too, hope to sue the culprits responsible for this.

“We want the truth and justice to prevail,” he said.

Liow said he had also instructed MAS to speed up the compensation process.