KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 ― After accusing Malaysia of killing their loved ones, some Chinese families of those aboard MH370 are now convinced that the local authorities are restricting them from moving about freely here, even blocking their search for more information on the missing jetliner.

According to a CNN report, two families from China were stopped by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) staff from participating in briefings meant for the Malaysian families at the Everly Hotel in Putrajaya yesterday.

One woman said the authorities would not even allow them to leave the hotel where they were housed to attend the briefing at Everly Hotel.

“I just wanted to come and meet the minister and meet other family members but I was not allowed to leave and they wouldn’t arrange for transportation.

“They wouldn’t even let me take a taxi, I’ve lost my freedom,” said Cheng Liping, according to a translation heard on the CNN video report.

Her husband was one of the 239 onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

Another woman in the news broadcast appealed to MAS group chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya to allow the Chinese next-of-kin their freedom to move about as they please during their stay in Malaysia.

“Please tell your staff not to regulate our families’ movements, they cannot handle another shock, please let them be free,” the unidentified woman said, according to the translation.

Her husband was also on the plane.

CNN reported, however, that the grieving Chinese relatives were later allowed to meet with acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, his wife, Jauhari and a translator at Everly Hotel.

The Malaysian family members were initially housed at a hotel in Putrajaya but was recently transferred to Bangi over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the first batch of the family members from China were placed at a hotel in Cyberjaya and another batch of family members from China arrived over the weekend and are now housed Subang Jaya’s Holiday Villa Hotel.

Yesterday, the group in Subang Jaya staged a protest, claiming of an attempt by the Malaysian authorities to cover-up the truth behind how flight MH370 went missing over three weeks ago.

They said the Malaysian representatives in Beijing have been offering them conflicting explanations, forcing them to come all the way here to get answers from the government.

Some held aloft banners that read in Chinese and English: “You must return relatives of MH370, no strings attached” and “Hand us the murderer”.

“We want our family back, we want the truth,” chanted the relatives in Mandarin, after a spokesman delivered a statement, also in the same Chinese dialect.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced last week that the plane with 239 people on board was lost in the Indian Ocean on March 8 after being mysteriously diverted thousands of miles off course.

He said the conclusion was based on satellite data and other calculations.