FORMER transport minister Anthony Loke today revealed that his biggest regret is being unable to provide a settlement to the families of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 victims.

He said he had a cabinet paper on the matter ready to be presented last Wednesday.

“But I was not able to present the paper because there was no cabinet meeting. The cabinet was dissolved because the prime minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) resigned,” he told the media at an appreciation event for him held by the ministry in Putrajaya.

Dr Mahathir quit the top job on February 24 over Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s plans to form a new government with Umno, PAS and sacked PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

“That is my biggest regret. I was not able to execute that paper and make that decision in the cabinet,” said Loke.

MH370 vanished from radar screens en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. There were 239 passengers and crew on board.

In the six years since the tragedy occurred, costly searches have been carried out in the southern Indian Ocean, all of which have failed to find the aircraft. Pieces of wreckage, however, have washed up on shores on the western part of the ocean.

Loke said he hopes the transport minister in the new government led by Muhyiddin will pursue the cabinet paper on a settlement for victims’ families.

At today’s event, he thanked ministry staff who worked with him over the last 22 months.

“I got great cooperation from everyone in the ministry. They allowed me to do my job.

“I’ve done my best. I hope I’ve left a good mark in the ministry, and a good impression on the people of Malaysia of what a Pakatan Harapan minister is all about.”

He said he will now focus on his work as Seremban MP and Chennah assemblyman.

Loke is also DAP national organising secretary and a member of the PH presidential council. – March 2, 2020.