MH17 indictments are political, says Dr Mahathir

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 6 years ago · Published on 20 Jun 2019 3:05PM · 2 Comments

Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Malaysia's scepticism of Russia's alleged responsibility in the shootdown of MH17 is not related to trade deals with Moscow. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, June 20, 2019.

THE charges brought against three Russians and a Ukrainian over the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines MH17 is a political plot to attack Russia, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“We are very unhappy because from the beginning, as it’s a political issue on how to accuse Russia of wrongdoing. 

“Even before they examine the proof, they have already accused them. It’s very difficult for us to accept that,” said Dr Mahathir at the Prime Minister’s Office’s Hari Raya celebrations in Putrajaya today.

“Certainly, from the beginning they want to accuse Russia. And now, they say that they have proof. It’s a ridiculous thing,” he added.

He denied that Malaysia’s stand on the issue was linked to trade deals with Russia.

“That is different. As far as we are concerned we want proof of guilt.

“So far, there’s no proof but only only hearsay. I expect everybody to go for the truth,” said Dr Mahathir, when asked if Malaysia was worried about the loss of palm oil sales to Russia if it blamed Moscow for the MH17 shooting.

He said Malaysia also could not do anything if Russia chose to ignore the Dutch investigations.

“We are a small country and we can’t do anything. 

“We wanted to go to war with Russia and the United States, but we don’t have a big enough army,” he said jokingly.

The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team yesterday charged three Russians and a Ukrainian for bringing a missile into the area in eastern Ukraine and with murdering 298 passengers and crew.

MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over conflict-hit Ukraine in 2014.

International arrest warrants have been issued for the four suspects and a court case will begin in the Netherlands on March 9, 2020.

The men were identified as Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov from Russia, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko. – June 20, 2019.

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Comments

  • Mahathir is totally senile. Proofs and evidence has been established in the investigation and Malaysia has rejected the findings with no alternative explanation. This was a Malaysian plane shot down by a missile in the rebel held territory. How will the relatives of the victims react to the stand taken by Malaysia?

    Posted 6 years ago by Gabriel Chelliah · Reply

  • Do you have proof that Russia was not involved? The evidence by the investigation team suggests that the Buk missile was supplied by the Russians to the Russian backed rebels in Eastern Ukraine to be used to shoot down Ukrainian military aircraft. But instead some incompetent rebel commander used the missile to shoot down MH17. After they realized the "mistake", the missile launcher was quickly returned across the border back to the Russian army so there would be no traces left in Eastern Ukraine to connect it to the rebels. Mahathir is talking nonsense as usual. Are we now a satellite of Russia? Perhaps if Mahathir's children or grandchildren were killed on MH17, he would be singing a different tune. Why has Russia refused the investigation team access to the crash site and places in Eastern Ukraine where the Buk missile was stored or used? Why has Russia refused access to the suspects or to their military assets on the border with Ukraine? The black box is not big secret. The pilots were killed instantly when the missile detonated just outside the cockpit. The missile fragments literally tore the plane apart and it broke into pieces mid-air as it crashed to the ground.

    Posted 6 years ago by Gerard Lourdesamy · Reply