JOHOR BARU: The compensation and honours awarded to six Malaysian police commandoes killed in the Lahad Datu incident in March last year were more than those given to victims of MH17.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the families of the deceased had received, among other things, financial contributions, posthumous job promotions and gallantry awards.
“The families of the slain commandoes know that the Government has done much for them in their time of grief and that we will continue to do our best to assist them,’’ said Hishammuddin in response to parties that had accused the Government of going overboard in their final farewell to the Malaysian victims of the plane crash.
Critics had questioned why Friday, Aug 22, was declared a national mourning day when no such accord was given to the families in the Lahad Datu case.
Hishammuddin, who was talking to the media after opening the Pasir Gudang Umno division meeting at the Taman Mawar community hall on Saturday, said the families of the commandoes had chosen to keep quiet and move on with their lives and that all parties should respect their choice.
“We don’t have to tell the world what we have done for the families but our conscience is clear not only for the Lahad Datu case but for MH17 and MH370,’’ he said.
Hishammuddin said the Government did not expect praise for what it did in bringing back the remains of the MH17 victims but would continue to give due respect for the remains of the other victims that had yet to be sent home.
He said that while the Government accepted criticism in handling the cere-mony, critics should consider the feelings of the families in both incidents.
– The Star
