Dr M unhappy with MH17 charges, calls it a political plot against Russia

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has described the decision to charge three Russians and one Ukranian with murder over flight MH17 as a political plot against Russia.

"We are very unhappy. From the very beginning, it became a political issue on how to accuse Russia of the wrongdoing.

"Even before they examined the case, they have already claimed it (the shooting down of MH17) was done by Russia," said Dr Mahathir to reporters at the Prime Minister's Department Hari Raya celebration event here.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia is not convinced with the findings and demands that the investigators provide proof that the Russians were behind the shooting.

"As far as we are concerned, we want proof of guilt (that Russia did it). But so far, there is no proof, only hearsay.

"This is a ridiculous thing. Someone shoots a gun and you are not able to see who, but you know who shot," said Dr Mahathir.

When asked if Malaysia's stance was because it had a stake with Russia, who are the buyers of its palm oil, Dr Mahathir said no.

"No, no. That is different," he said.

International investigators charged four people with murder over the 2014 shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 above rebel-held eastern Ukraine in which 298 people were killed.

The four were Russian nationals Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Oleg Pulatov, and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko.