Hours after claiming that Pakatan Rakyat will be able to find the missing MH370 jet if it had the same resources, DAP's Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng pulled back his statement.

“I wish to retract my statement: 'It's very simple. Make one of DAP's leaders the commander of the air force or navy, then we will find MH370',” Lim said.

“Please accept my expression of deep regret for having made that comment.”

Lim was quoted as saying so by the Malay Mail Online at a press conference this morning.

'Arrogant and downright stupid'

When contacted, Lim said that he made the remark in his personal capacity and that it has nothing to do with his party.

"I was responding to a question asked, but nevertheless, I retract it fully and regret it," he said.

Lim said so when asked to comment on the challenge by former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek ( left ) to Pakatan to stop criticising the government's efforts and to take over the search if it could do better.

Lim's remark also earned him a lashing from Housing and Urban Well-being Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who called it "ugly, arrogant and downright stupid".

"(DAP secretary general) Lim Guan Eng should reprimand MP Segambut. Otherwise all the DAP leaders' sad faces and sad speeches in Parliament on MH370 were just a facade...

"DAP is rutheless and heartless at times, but can you at least have some semblance of sensitivity towards the family members of MH370?" Rahman aked on Twitter .

However, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang commended the Segambut MP.

In a tweet, he said Lim's action should be "emulated".

"He has the courage to admit his mistake and apologise instead of going around the world to deny or evade responsibility," he said.