KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 1 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers will not be briefed on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 as they did not confirm their attendance, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim insisted today.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department asserted that the leadership of PR failed to submit a memo to him confirming the day and date of the briefing, claiming it was the proper administrative procedure.

“I waited until today, I asked for it every day. I asked and called them because I am serious. I have called even late at night,” Shahidan told reporters at the sidelines of Parliament here.

However, he refused to disclose when he first sought the memo and from whom within PR, only naming them as the “top leadership”.

The minister also repeatedly claimed that he “does not want to politicise the issue”.

Shahidan, who is the minister in charge of Parliament, reportedly promised in Dewan Rakyat last week to hold a briefing on the crisis tonight.

However, Defence and acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein will be absent as he is away in Hawaii for the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting.

This prompted PR MPs to target Hishammuddin and Putrajaya earlier today, accusing them of politicising the issue by snubbing the opposition pact.

Shahidan claimed that he was only informed of Hishammuddin’s absence today after he made the promise in Parliament.

He also pledged he will organise the briefing as soon as possible, after seeing Pakatan MPs’ “seriousness” today.

MH370 disappeared shortly after departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport for Beijing on March 8. It was carrying 239 people on board.