MH370 Chinese families meet MAS reps after tearful morning of negotiations

Chinese relatives of passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 gather at the airline’s headquarters in Subang to hand over a petition demanding an explanation on the missing aircraft. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, February 12, 2015.Three people from the group of family members of Chinese passengers on board flight MH370 will meet Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya after negotiating all morning today for a meeting with the airline's management to protest against Purajaya's declaration that the plane was lost in an accident.

At 12.30 pm, the group of 15 next-of-kin who had gathered outside the MAS building in Complex B near the Subang airport, were at last persuaded to send a team of three representatives to meet Ahmad Jauhari. 

Earlier, they had insisted that all 15 as well as the media present be allowed to enter the building to meet the management.

MAS, however, declined to reveal the exact location of the meeting between Ahmad Jauhari and the three, which immediately triggered new concerns from the others outside about their safety.

"They do not trust MAS's credibility after all the spins and lies we were told back in March last year," said Kelly Wen, whose husband was on MH370.

"But I will try to advise them to rest and have lunch first. I am equally as concerned as some of them aren't in good health."

At 1pm, the families were finally brought to the travel lounge to rest. Several family members were still crying.

MAS senior vice-president of strategic communications Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah then told the media that the airline would deal with "one issue at one time".

"What's important now is to focus the subject matter at hand," he said.

"We have fulfilled the families’ request to meet with the Group CEO of MAS, Ahmad Jauhari."

The families from China also want MAS to cover their living expenses and accommodation during their stay in Malaysia, but the matter was under discussion.

Najmuddin declined to comment on this request, saying they would "focus on the subject matter at hand first".

Wen said the 15 family members who had arrived from China last night had prepared a letter listing four demands and several questions that they wanted MAS’s respond.

Retiree Wen Wan Cheng also urged MAS to provide solid statistics and evidences to substantiate its declaration that "MH370 was lost in an accident" while calling the airline company "irresponsible", "inhumane" and "full of lies".

"Why are you (MAS) bothered about compensation matters, when all we want is the truth?" he asked. 

The 15 today wore red and white T-shirts with words "Pray for MH370" and held  placards that read, "MH370 cry for truth. Today it's us, tomorrow it could be you" and "MH370: Who can tell us what happened? Please help us! Come back MH370".

"We come here on our own expense, we even have food supplies packed already, we will give MAS three days to respond to our doubts and questions but we are ready to stay here even after Chinese New Year for as long as it takes, until MAS gives a proper explanation," the elder Wen added.

During the negotiations this morning, one of the family members, Wang Run Xiang, 58, broke down while holding up a picture of her grandson.

"Ask yourselves, don't you have parents? Would a parent ever want to be in this kind of situation?

"My grandson back home asks where his father has gone to every day. It's already been a year, do you know how painful it is to bear all of this?”

Wang's son on the plane was Hong Poh, aged 36.

The three who were allowed to meet the MAS management today were the retiree Wen, Zhang Jian Yi and Li Yew Hwa.

After more than 10 months, Malaysia had declared that flight MH370 was lost in an accident, killing all 239 passengers and crew members on board.

MH370 disappeared less than an hour after departing from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 last year. – February 12, 2015.