YOURSAY | ‘Mahathir wants Putin’s business, so the lives lost mean little to him.’

Dr M: Insufficient evidence linking Russia for downing of MH17

Gerard Lourdesamy: Did Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad ask Russian President Vladimir Putin why Russia vetoed the Malaysia-backed resolution in the UN Security Council for an international tribunal to investigate the crash of MH17 in July 2015?

Of the 15 member countries, only Russia objected while 11 countries supported, and three, namely China, Angola, and Venezuela, abstained.

The international tribunal would have conducted a fair and impartial investigation into the crash. But Russia did not agree to this.

Why? There are only two logical explanations as to who fired the BUK missile: (1) the Russian-armed rebels in Eastern Ukraine who are ethnic Russians, or (2) the Ukraine armed forces.

But why would Ukraine shoot down a civilian aircraft over their own airspace considering that Ukraine was earning lucrative fees from commercial airlines that were using the air corridor in question over their territory?

The shooting down of MH17 cause the entire airspace over Eastern Ukraine to be closed for several weeks and even now no commercial airlines are allowed to fly over that airspace.

Identifying the suspects who fired the missile has to be based on circumstantial evidence and reasonable deductions because the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was not given complete and unhindered access to the crash site and most of Eastern Ukraine since the rebels and Russia refused to cooperate.

The JIT was also not allowed to interview the rebel commanders and personnel in Eastern Ukraine where the missile battery was moved back to Russia from the border region after the crash.

Mahathir is confused. Nobody is saying that Putin or the Russian government ordered the shooting down of the plane.

What the JIT has concluded is that the Russian-armed rebels in Eastern Ukraine brought down the plane using a BUK missile that was likely supplied by the Russian army.

The question is whether that amounts to sufficient state responsibility on the part of Russia. Only an international court of justice can answer that question.

Non Evader: Mahathir’s doubts are regarding "identifying the actual firing, by whom, which would be very difficult".

Does Mahathir know the details of the investigation of identifying the suspects? Can he point out the parts that are problematic? Does he even know anything about criminal investigations?

Uttering such a general statement in the international arena to undermine the years of effort done by the JIT is utterly ignorant, irresponsible and unbecoming of a prime minister.

David Dass: Mahathir should have left the matter of determining culpability for shooting down MH17 in the hands of lawyers and judges of the international courts.

He is not an expert. He is not in a position to evaluate the evidence. That is the job of the judges.

The hearing has not taken place. No evidence has been produced to the judges, thus no decision has been made.

He is right, He is not the family of any victim. The families of the victims deserve to have the evidence produced before an independent court and adjudicated upon. His views are not helpful.

Kangkung: I think we all trust the governments of the Netherlands and Australia who had said they hold Russia legally responsible.

They have investigated it thoroughly, and these are not some failed states that are making this conclusion.

Mahathir wants business deals from Putin so the 283 passengers and 15 crew members are nothing to him.

Solo: This is Malaysia's new version of “Cash is King”, albeit the cash is in Russian rubles.

Call this Mahathir being senile or racist, but the families are the ones to suffer five years on.

The JIT is the only forum where they can get some answers and justice. All interested parties have participated in the inquiry, except Russia and the rebels in East Ukraine.

That gives you a loud indicator who may be responsible. The guilty tend not to want to participate because they do not want to give the international community the rope that will hang them, as much as they deserve it.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is also collateral damage and continues to suffer, with potential layoffs for innocent Malaysians.

Anonymous 3e79: Indeed, Mahathir has betrayed the country. He has cheapened the lives lost in the crime allegedly committed by Russians and the rebels backed by them, all for trade contracts that will benefit his cronies.

Anonymous 1537370890: Well, what do you expect when it involves the world's superpower? I’m not sure what would be the end of this debacle. Hopefully, the truth will prevail one day.

The Tarik: Mahathir should be awarded Russia's highest honorary award, Hero of the Russian Federation, for his ceaseless effort in supporting Russia's innocence in the downing of MH17.

I hope Putin invites Mahathir to next year's Russia Day and award him this title at the Kremlin. Please don't wait too long as Mahathir is already over 94 years old.

Rentap Returns: Mahathir has been castrated. There is no other explanation for this and other recent “no balls” decisions.

It was great to have you back, but you have delivered nothing. All the big fish still swimming happily and winking at you - and your actions are winking back.

You will go down in history as the old man who tricked us all.

Take a ‘blue pill’ as soon as possible, and show us that we voted for the lion and not the geriatric sheep to look after his vulnerable children.

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