SHAH ALAM: The widow of the late Captain Wan Amran Wan Hussin, the pilot of Malaysia Airlines MH17, wants the government to be fair to all the victims’ next-of-kin of and to not ‘play favourites’.
Mariam Yusof expressed regret that her family has been sidelined, given that some compensation had been distributed to the next-of-kin of the crew members and passengers, but not the pilots.
“It has been four years since the MH17 tragedy, but there has yet to be justice for us.
“It’s almost as if nothing happened. We did not ask for this (tragedy). If the government wants to give out compensation, then it should be given equally to all the next-of-kin, including those of the pilots,” she told NSTP.
Mariam said she learnt that the families of some crew members and passengers had received compensation while others haven’t. However, she noted that in her late husband’s case, the previous government did not offer any compensation.
Mariam said she was disappointed at the lack of initiative, saying it appeared as if there was no appreciation extended to her husband over the tragedy.
She said her family to date only received a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Malaysian Pilots Association (MAPA) and Malaysia Airlines, which she said was a right and not compensation per se.
“We hope the new government, under Pakatan Harapan, will offer a ray of hope for the next-of-kin and resolve the matter.
“Previously, we were also not briefed on the status of the investigation into MH17, almost as if nothing happened,” she said.
She was also disappointed that four years on, there are no more events to commemorate the tragedy.
Wan Amran was the pilot of the Boeing 777, which was shot down over Donestk, eastern Ukraine en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 298 passengers and crew members.
Meanwhile, in IPOH, Noorlin Mohd Noor, 51, wants the investigation into the tragedy to continue until the perpetrators are brought to justice.
Her elder sister, Noor Rahimah, 67, was among the passengers who perished in the tragedy.
“Today (Tuesday) marks four years since she left us. We have not received any updates on the investigation and it is still a big question mark to the family.
“What we hope as a family is for updates as well as closure,” she said. She also hoped that compensation would be forthcoming for the next-of-kin, as Noor Rahimah had children as well as grandchildren.
She said she missed their regular Saturday morning conversations.
“Of course I miss my sister. The memory of our conversations would remain etched in my memory forever. She would always contact me every week even if she was abroad,” she said.
In KOTA BARU, the events of four years ago are still fresh in the mind of 84-year-old Daud Abdul Kadir.
His grandson Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi was MH17’s co-pilot.
“It’s been four years since we lost him. This year, like any year is the same for us, as those who have gone will never return.
“But since that day in 2014, I say a ‘doa’ for him each time I pray. He was very close to me, and was even born in my house.
“We remain positive and pray that he is placed among the righteous,” he said.
On the issue of compensation, he said they would welcome it if it was their ‘rezeki’ to receive it.
“Maybe Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad can do something to help ensure that Hakimi’s wife and children receive the compensation,” he said.--Reports by Ayusliza Azizan, Mohd Hafizee Mohd Arop and Nor Fazlina Abdul Rahim