PEKAN: Malaysia’s strong principle on truth has made the country well respected not only by the super powers but also among the non-state actors such as the separatists in Ukraine, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

For that reason, Najib said the Ukrainian separatist leader Alexander Borodai had agreed to hand over the bodies of the victims on the downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and its two black boxes to Malaysia.

“He was only willing to give them to Malaysia (and not other countries),” he said at his Pekan parliamentary constituency’s Aidilfitri open house at Taman Tasik Sultan Abu Bakar here today.

Najib said he took the risk to deal with the separatists in eastern Ukraine as he wanted to bring home the remains of Malaysian victims.

He said the inter-connected world has made countries like Malaysia exposed to conflicts that it was not involved.

Najib also said that he was touched when people of various backgrounds observe a minute of silence in respect of the MH17 victims yesterday.

The nationwide mourning, he said showed that Malaysians can unite during tragedy.

At the function, Najib and his guests also recited prayers and observe a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the MH17 victims.

-nst