Former Malaysia Airlines CEO defends MH370 pilots Captain Zaharie

Ana Ghoib Syeikh Malaya 9:57 PTG
A former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) stalwart has defended the pilots of lost flight MH370, describing them as good Muslims.

Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, who was managing director and chief executive officer of MAS for 10 years, told CNN he knew Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah since his days as a cadet pilot.


CNN reported yesterday that in a vacuum of evidence both Zaharie and his co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid have been persistently faulted for disappearance of MH370.

The 80-year-old Aziz told CNN that he personally knew Zaharie, describing him as an excellent pilot and a gentleman.

"I think that they (the media) are going the wrong way, pointing the finger at him (Zaharie)," he said.

Asked about Fariq, Aziz said he knew his father, the Selangor Public Works Department deputy director Abdul Hamid Mat Daud.

"His father knew the Quran by heart, and he (Fariq) also knew the Quran by heart," Abdul Aziz said.

CNN reported that the allegations against Zaharie had been coloured by politics, due to his support for Pakatan Rakyat.

Aziz also said it was important to retrieve the black box from flight MH370.

"We must get the black box. Then we can get the answers,"

"Otherwise, they will say all sorts of things and it is very difficult for us to defend," Aziz told CNN.

CNN reported that the families of both Zaharie and Fariq had laid low since MH370 disappeared and various speculations emerged.

Aziz served Malaysian Airlines from its inception in 1971 as company secretary and director of legal affairs.

He retired in 1991 as managing director and chief executive officer.

He was responsible for MAS’s vast expansion, and turned it into a profitable and leading player in the world of aviation.

[box_info]Tan Sri Dato (Dr.) Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman is a Partner in the law firm of Nik Saghir & Ismail, KualaLumpur. Tan Sri Dato (Dr.) Bin Abdul Rahman is an Advocate and Solicitor. He served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airlines for 10 years. Tan Sri Dato (Dr.) Bin Abdul Rahman served Malaysia Airlines from its inception in 1971 as Company Secretary and Director of Legal Affairs. He started by serving the government for 15 years - Businessweek[/box_info]