Speculations about missing MH370 help investigations, says top cop
Police are monitoring speculations on missing plane MH370 on the Internet as they may help investigations into the search and rescue operations, says Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.
"We are looking into all these speculations because we feel they can more or less assist in investigations," he said in an interview with Mingguan Malaysia, the Sunday edition of Malay daily Utusan Malaysia.
Khalid was responding to a question on what police were doing about people who circulate speculations in the social media regarding MH370, which has been missing for 16 days.
"However, if they are just speculations, we do not see that it is enough for the police to take action, unless they are making seditious remarks.
"If what is written in the social media is speculative in nature, without having facts to back them up, then it remains a speculation.
"I advise everyone to be wise when differentiating fact from speculation," he was quoted as saying in the report.
Khalid was also asked what he thought of international media reports that had been deemed biased and negative towards Malaysia.
He said there were some foreign media organisations that were "deliberately" belittling Malaysia.
"We have to understand that some foreign parties are envious of us. They are out to belittle us. It is unfortunate that there are some in our own society who believe foreign news reports.
"They do not want to listen even when our own local media know the situation better because we are giving them the real story."
Khalid also claimed that there were foreign media organisations trying to provoke a confrontation between Malaysia and other parties, including China.
MH370 disappeared on March 8 while on route to Beijing from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport with 239 passengers and crew on board.
The plane never reached its destination. Search and rescue operations now involve 26 nations. – March 23, 2014.
