KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — As criticisms pour in from across the globe against Malaysia’s handling of the MH370 crisis, one British transport expert has chimed in to say the country may have been “unfairly blamed” for lapses that that could have, and have, occurred elsewhere in the past.

Kenneth J. Button, director of the Centre for Transportation, Policy, Operations and Logistics at the George Mason University, reminded the US, which has been overtly critical of Malaysia, that its investigators have also made mistakes in the past, despite their experience in handling aviation disasters.

Button pointed out in an Associated Press (AP) report here that he could not imagine countries like the US ever agreeing to cede their investigatory powers to a foreign group, which Malaysia has been repeatedly accused of refusing to do despite its alleged lack of expertise in handling such matters.

“I think the Malaysian authorities may be unfairly blamed for a little of this,” the expert pointed out in the report.

“They’re getting a lot of information in and are handling it as best they can. Similar issues have arisen in most other countries.”

AP noted that today’s aviation rules generally follow the December 1944 convention in Chicago which stipulates that the country where a crash occurs will lead the probe on the disaster.

If the aircraft belongs to another country, however, that government can send its observers to participate in the probe.

MH370 was a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft, a Boeing 777, which took off from Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am on March 8, and disappeared 40 minutes later when it was hovering somewhere between Malaysia and Vietnam.

In the week following MH370’s mysterious disappearance, Malaysia has been at the receiving end of much scathing criticism from its foreign counterparts for being stingy with information, confused and contradictory.

US officials have repeatedly lambasted Malaysia for shutting out aid from foreign experts in efforts to locate the missing Boeing 777, and said in the absence of expertise, the country should accept help from others.

On Saturday, unnamed Western law enforcement agents accused Malaysia of repeatedly rejecting Interpol’s offers to help investigate MH370 even as experts settle on foul play in its disappearance.

“It’s the old pre-9/11 approach: close-hold information, don’t share anything,” one anonymous official was quoted as saying by ABC News on its website yesterday, referring to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

ABC News quoted other unidentified law enforcement officials who expressed concern that the alleged refusal by Malaysia to take up Interpol’s offer may have caused leads into the mysterious disappearance of MH370 to grow cold.

But Malaysia yesterday rejected the allegations, insisting that it welcomes any agency offering to help find and investigate MH370

“We work with all agencies, including Interpol,” Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters during a press conference yesterday.

Acting Transport and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein echoed Khalid’s remarks and said Malaysia has been open and transparent since day one of investigations.

Malaysia also took the unusual step of releasing highly-confidential raw data from its military radar in order to expedite the search for the missing plane.

“Malaysia has nothing to hide... From day one, we have been in regular contact with neighbouring countries, and accepted all international offers of help,” Hishammuddin said in a statement on Thursday.

Investigators appear to have settled on foul play in the disappearance of MH370, which the government said was due to “deliberate action” that is now the subject of a criminal investigation.