Dr Muhamad (left) assisting Malaysian media in their live coverage of the MH17 tragedy in Kiev. — Bernama photo
KIEV: Dr Muhamad Akmal, a paediatrician at the Ampang hospital did not hesitate when asked to be part of the Malaysian investigation team in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 tragedy, even if he has to leave behind his pregnant wife.
The 26-year-old Russian State Medical University graduate said his desire to give service to the country in any possible way, even as a translator, was his natural passion.
“During this difficult time I feel obliged to help as I can speak the Russian language since I studied in Moscow for six years. It is part of my contribution for the country and religion,” he told Bernama, here.
Dr Muhamad Akmal is one of the 131 Malaysian investigation team members, who arrived here yesterday. The team was formed following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak’s statement that Malaysia intended to find out precisely what had caused MH17 to crash in Ukraine on Thursday although the Ukrainian authorities believed that the commercial plane was shot down.
The airline has confirmed on Friday that MH17 was carrying 283 passengers, including three infants, of various nationalities, and 15 Malaysian crew members.
The Boeing 777-200 Malaysia Airline MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.10 am, Malaysian time.
Asked on his wife, Dr Fatin Nadirah Idrus’s reaction when told of his trip to Kiev, Dr Muhamad said, despite also being a doctor, who understood his passion, she was a bit reluctant to let him go.
“She was worried when she saw I had to bring along a bullet proof vest provided by the Communication and Multimedia Ministry as the area that the team is going to go to is a tense area between the pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian military,” he said.
Dr Muhamad and Dr Fatin Nadirah, who is five months’ pregnant with their first child, were married last January.
During his student days, he was president of the Russian Umno Club. Meanwhile the Malaysian special investigation team here held a meeting to discuss plans and determine their movement into the crash site.
Present at the meeting were the head of the delegation, Khairil Hilmi Mokhtar, MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and Malaysian Ambassador to Ukraine, Chuah Teong Ban.
Chuah said several issues had to be ironed out before the team could move to the crash site at Grabovo, approximately 750km from Kiev. — Bernama