KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 ― Security at airports nationwide have been beefed up further in the wake of the inexplicable disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 three weeks ago, The Star reported today.

Passengers are now advised to check in at least three hours before their boarding time, instead of two hours previously as they must now pass through two separate metal-detector checkpoints recently installed by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

Passengers will also be subjected to a body search by immigration officials, and are required to take off their shoes, belt, jacket and remove their electronic devices, such as cellphones, laptop, iPad from their person to be scanned separately before being allowed through.

MAHB is also reportd to have enforced the same list of prohibited items introduced by the US Transportation Security Administration, which means no objects with a sharp or pointed edge, flammable items such as hairspray and bottled water are allowed in as hand luggage.

Security measures for airplane cabin crew have also been tightened further since March 8.

According to The Star, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) issued a new circular that make it compulsory for a flight attendant to be in the cockpit when either the pilot or co-pilot steps out for a break; Another flight attendant is to stand guard outside the door to prevent passengers from gaining access to the cockpit.

The daily also cited an unnamed MAS official as saying the national carrier has enhanced their monitoring procedures on board its planes but declined to elaborate as the procedures are mandated and carried out by the aviation security authorities.

Conspiracy theories of terrorism, hijacks and pilot-sabotage have been floated since the Beijing-bound M370 carrying 239 people disappeared mid-flight on March 8, after having made a turn-back.

But investigators have so far found no motive or evidence pointing to any of these three hypotheses as contributing to the missing plane.

The search for the jumbo jetliner is now into its 23rd day as 26 nations join forces to scour the southern Indian Ocean for signs of MH370.

Earlier today, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott backed his Malaysian counterpart, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and said the evidence strongly points to the plane ending its journey in the frigid waters there.

An Australian ship carrying US equipment that is able to locate the aircraft's flight recorder is now on its way to a new search area off the coast of Perth, after various aircraft spotted multiple objects floating on the waters.