MISSING MH370: Almost a brawl for pixmen
jostling for Hisham
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SEPANG: Two foreign press photographers almost came to blows as reporters mobbed acting transport minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein near the entrance of Sama-Sama Hotel here.
Hishammuddin had just arrived at the hotel ahead of his scheduled press conference today on missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 when a heated moment broke out between the two cameramen straining to capture visuals of the minister.
The two had pushed each other, and one of them was overheard saying to the other: "Better be careful or I'll break your camera."
Other journalists present reported being elbowed roughly as Hishammuddin attempted to calm things down.
Hishammuddin said: "Guys, guys, guys... If you are going to behave like this, then you are going to get nasty visuals beamed all over the world and you are going to blame Malaysian officials.
"That is not fair."
It was the second such scene involving foreign reporters at the hotel in as many days. On Wednesday, three women, reportedly family members of MH370 passengers, had caused a small commotion ahead of the 5.30 pm press conference here, pleading the Malaysian government for more information.
As the reporters calmed down, Hishammuddin also gave a brief update on the search-and-rescue operation for the MH370 aircraft, missing since March 8.
He said he had been receiving reports since morning, but "nothing conclusive has been found, and no debris."
The authorities, he said, was also studying weather conditions and stressed that they had deployed the best assets for the SAR operation.
"Let me tell you, that the Poseidons and Orions (aircraft) are the most sophisticated assets.
"They do not belong to Malaysia... this is a truly multinational effort."
Autralian authorities yesterday deployed four aircraft and a ship to an area about 2,500 km southwest of Perth, after satellites spotted two large objects that may be related to MH370.
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