Malaysia Airlines aircraft MH 370.(REUTERS/Edgar Su )

"The Indonesian government fully supports the search for the MH 370 aircraft. We call on all parties to be patient and trust the experts who are directly involved in the search for the missing aircraft," Indonesian Embassy said.
 
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia denied rumors that it had concealed radar data that showed the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft MH 370s location, a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur received here on Tuesday said.

The statement referred to a news article published by the Utusan Malaysia newspaper on March 17, titled "MH 370 is hidden in US-base in Diego Garcia?".

The article cited a speculative report on an online website Cabal Times that said Indonesia had concealed radar data that recorded the movement of the MH 370 aircraft over Indonesias territory.

"Indonesia is not involved in a secret movement or a western coalition that has certain political motives. The speculative report was published with no data back-up. It only created confusion on the publics mind, especially the family of the passenger on board the MH 370," the statement said.

Still according to the embassy, Indonesia is among the first countries that have helped in the search for the MH 370 aircraft, which has been lost since March 8, 2014.

"The Indonesian government fully supports the search for the MH 370 aircraft. We call on all parties to be patient and trust the experts who are directly involved in the search for the missing aircraft," the statement said.

"Indonesia also asked people not to speculate irresponsibly as it is does not help the search process," the statement added.

The Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 has been reported missing since Saturday, March 8. The plane left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing at around 00.41 a.m. The aircraft was scheduled to land in the Beijing International Airport at 6.30 a.m. local Beijing time. However, the aircraft lost contact with the Subang air traffic control at about 02.40 a.m.

As of now, the search for the missing aircraft is still continuing.

Previously, the Xinhua news agency reported that Malaysias acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had announced that the search area for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 had been expanded to 2.24 million square nautical miles (about 7.68 million square kilometers).

Hishammuddin Hussein, also Malaysias Defence Minister, said at a press conference that the search areas in both the northern and the southern corridors were divided into seven quadrants, respectively, with each quadrant covering an area of 160,000 square nautical miles (about 548,784 square kilometers).

Based on latest information, the search areas--almost as large as Australia--encompass a northern corridor stretching approximately from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to northern Thailand, as well as a southern one from Indonesia to the southern Indian Ocean.

"This is an enormous search area. It is an area that Malaysia cannot possibly search on its own. I am therefore pleased that so many countries have come forward to offer assistance and support to the search and rescue operation," Hishammuddin said.

He added that Malaysia deployed two more ships, including a helicopter, which can operate from either ship. He said the total number of ships searching in the southern corridor increased to four.

Malaysia also deployed two C-130 aircraft in the Indonesian sector of the southern search corridor, the minister remarked.

As many as 26 countries are involved in the search across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.(*)

Editor: Heru

COPYRIGHT © 2014