MH370 The Special Committee of the National Fatwa Council will convene this evening to decide on the date and time to perform prayers (solat jenazah ghaib) for the passengers and crew of MH370.

This was announced by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak when tabling a special motion in the Dewan Rakyat to express sadness at the unfortunate tragedy befalling the MH370 flight.

Najib drew attention to the fact that, other than prayers, the government had also received numerous proposals related to the passengers and crew of the aircraft including holding a mourning period by hanging the flag at half-mast.

“The government is of the opinion that we need to find the wreckage (of the aircraft) first, before we do so,” he said.

He stressed that now was not the time for any quarters to politicise the issue of the missing aircraft, but should take the opportunity to show solidarity with the affected families.

“I wish to urge our colleagues, whether in the government or opposition, in a crisis like this, we must show sympathy to all the victims of the heart-rending tragedy.

“We must show our maturity and love, especially sensitivity to the families who are feeling extreme sadness,” he said.

During the press conference last night, the prime minister announced that the MH370 flight had ended in the Southern Indian Ocean.

The MH370 flight, with 227 passengers and 12 crew, which departed from the KL International Airport at 12.41am on March 8 for Beijing, went off the radar an hour later.

The aircraft should have landed in Beijing at 6.30am on the same day.

- Bernama