CYBERJAYA, March 21 — Malaysian authorities had tried to address the doubts of the families of the passengers of the national airline’s missing jet in a “frank” briefing last night, the country’s special envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting said.

In a closed-door high-level briefing attended by officials from key Malaysian government agencies, Ong said family members were assured that there would be more briefings on the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 in the future.

“So we had a very frank briefing and a very close distance communication with the family members.

“So I would say we tried to address, not to say problems, [but] to address their questions as far as we can, to clear their doubts” the former MCA president told reporters after emerging from the late night briefing here that lasted roughly two-and-a-half hours.

While stressing that Malaysia was being transparent over the search for the plane, Ong also said that the country’s prime minister and deputy minister were “very concerned” and wanted to see the families being taken care of.

The briefing yesterday comes after growing tension over the missing MH370, with several family members of Chinese passengers protesting Malaysia’s handling of the crisis and attempting to gatecrash a daily news conference by authorities on Wednesday.

Upset family members in Beijing had also threatened on Tuesday to go on a hunger strike, following almost a week of scathing criticism of Malaysia’s handling of events by China’s state-run media.

According to Ong last night, those present at the briefing included the Transport Ministry’s Deputy Secretary-General, the MAS chairman, senior officials from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), representatives from the military and Wisma Putra.

Ong left without taking any questions, while families also left the Cyberview Resort and Spa here from side exits, with police blocking off the media.

The families who attended the briefing are believed to be from China, Malaysia and India.

Media attention had also turned to the briefing after Australia’s discovery yesterday of what was possibly the “best lead” in a multinational search that had lasted close to two weeks.

Citing satellite data, Australia said it had sighted several objects floating in the southern section of the Indian Ocean that may be debris from MH370.

Ships and aircraft were deployed but failed to locate the debris due to bad weather, Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority said last night, adding that the search will resume at first light.

An Australian government official said a definitive answer on whether or not the objects are debris of the MH370 plane will be known only in “one or two days”.

The MH370 flight carrying 239 people from 14 countries — including 153 Chinese nationals and 50 Malaysians — has been inexplicably missing since March 8.