Full transcript: CCTV America interview with Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
A screengrab from Hishammuddin's interview on CCTV America.
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THE Malaysian Government's handling of the investigation questioned, and CCTV America’s James Chau sat down with Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk SeriHishammuddin Tun Hussein to find out more.
Chau: In the press conference where the Prime Minister confirmed that somebody had deliberately taken control of that plane and then took it off course, he refrained from using the word ‘hijacking’. What is the difference and why didn’t he use that word?
Hishammuddin: The difference is that we have moved on to another phase, where clearly from corroborated facts, somebody actually turned off some of the equipment. That is new and that is something that we have always been consistent about - being transparent, coming out with things which already been corroborated - and basically now we need to establish what actually happened. And there are many possibilities. Whether it is a hijacking, whether it is intentional, whether it’s under duress, whether it is some psychological reasons, who did it.
Chau: But that is still open.
Hishammuddin: That’s still open to us, yes.
Chau: I think the other question that people were saying was who, and not just why. Who would have that skill to understand how to turn off a transponder, how to effectively make this aircraft mute to the outside world, and then be able to escape detection across different countries, to not be detectable by radar.
Hishammuddin: Exactly.
Chau: Who is this person?
Hishammuddin: I would like to know too. And basically we won’t know until we get all the facts, and it would be irresponsible for us to name any names.
There has to be a lot of speculation out there, and I think if to be fair to the investigation, anything revealed now which has not been corroborated, will affect the investigation and needs to be fair to the families or the passengers.
Chau: But I think it’s those families who do want to know.
Hishammuddin: Of course, but they do not want to know facts which may later on be found out to be untrue.
Chau: You’re going to go right back to the passenger manifest. Let’s talk about the crew manifest, because if it would require such extensive knowledge of aviations and also the skill to pilot a plane, of course it’s no surprise that the two most obvious candidates are your captain and the first officer.
Hishammuddin: But it doesn’t mean that anybody else could not be a candidate too. And like I said from the beginning, the whole manifest on all the passengers on that list, those who we are screening from day one.
But the Prime Minister indicated today that because of circumstances and corroborated facts, we are now intensifying our investigation on the personalities involved and that is clearly been indicated to our police especially. And I think we should allow some space for them to do the necessary fact-finding.
Chau: I want to quickly lead you back to the crew. MAS had gone through their profiles, and insisted 24 hours ago that nothing stood out in those profiles nor from their years of records there. You say that you don’t want to speculate, but at the same time, as we speak, the police are now searching the home of the pilot. What’s changed?
Hishammuddin: Doesn’t mean that we have not also investigated the others.
Chau: In terms of that passenger manifest, and we have to go back to that again, in light of the new developments, is there anybody who potentially stands out?
Hishammuddin: Well I think it’s not for me to say right now. And I’ve always been consistent from the beginning, to be fair to everybody. Notwithstanding all the speculation that has been out there that we’ve only come out and verified things that have been corroborated. Even today’s statement by the Prime Minister it’s been corroborated by international agencies. And when we are quite clear on that position, then we come out with it.
Speculation at the beginning, seven days ago, the fact that the plane landed in Nanning.
I’m just reminding everybody the sort of things that were thrown out there. And we investigated, to be fair to the families out there, and this is where I’m reaching out to the passengers. Who I wanted to meet actually, I wanted to go to Beijing yesterday.
But with this opportunity I actually have the chance to actually convey how sincere we are in wanting to get to the bottom of this. But also be responsible in our approach so that we don’t give them false hope, we don’t lead into another investigation that comes out with a negative response. Worst still, false information.
Chau: You’ve opened that door, because a lot of people in that hotel where they’re staying at right now, who’ve been so angry. There have been calls that they want to meet the senior leadership in Malaysia. As a senior leader yourself, do you think that’s something that you’ll consider doing?
Hishammuddin: I don’t blame them. I have children. I have a wife. I have brothers and sisters. And putting myself in that position, I can imagine how difficult it is for them. But I also have to be responsible. I am the minister responsible to investigate this, and I know the world is watching.
And I think that it is very important for me, to state at the beginning, which I did, and be consistent in my stand, notwithstanding the pressures and speculation that goes out there. So that the credibility of information that comes out from the Malaysian government is something that they can believe. With time, I think the emotions will heal somewhat. But until and unless we find the plane and get to the black box, the rest still remains speculation. Unless we find out more evidence to give to the families.
And that I think must come out and must be consistent, being a responsible government. Now, even more so now, because there are so many other governments involved in this massive, unprecedented operation.
And I think this is something that people don’t want to recognise, especially some of the media out there who just would like to have the headlines for the day and then move on the next. Because all the leads that were brought up to us earlier, we have followed it up and in all cases have been negative.
But yet, we will not, and I want to assure the families especially, we will not give up. We will continue to look for that plane. That is our sole, main focus at the moment. Because notwithstanding whether it is terrorism, whether it’s hijacking, whether it’s psychological, whatever the issues are out there, my main focus as the minister in charge is to find the plane. To get to the black box. To get to the facts of the matter. And that I think we should not be distracted by other issues.
