BEIJING, March 14 — Several family members of the Chinese passengers of a missing Malaysian airliner have requested to speak directly with Malaysian leaders via teleconference.

Their prime concerns are the whereabouts of Malaysia Airlines’ Flight MH370 and the work the Malaysian government has done in finding the plane, which disappeared last Saturday on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

They are requesting those who possess professional knowledge on telecommunications and radar as well as top officials from the aviation department, military and navy to speak directly with them.

Apart from requesting the Malaysian ambassador to China, Datuk Iskandar Sarudin, to meet them here, they are seeking payment for expenses and accommodation since the disappearance of the plane.

MAS has promised earlier to bear the families’ accommodation in Beijing for at least one week.

MAS spokesman Ignatius Ong Ming Choy said the airline would bear their phone bills beginning March 8, either in Beijing or Kuala Lumpur.

The families have turned down an offer by Ong to fly some 20 to 30 family members to Kuala Lumpur to obtain first-hand information there.

Ong had suggested that the families select some 20 to 30 families from among them as representatives to leave for Kuala Lumpur to obtain the first-hand information there together with the families who had arrived there a few days ago. 

Representatives from the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation were also present at today’s briefing for the families.

A massive multinational search is on to find the missing aircraft, with the latest focus also on the Indian Ocean following reports that the plane might have changed course. — Bernama