KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 ― Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein maintained today that Malaysia has done a “tremendous job” in managing the MH370 disaster despite strong international criticism towards its allegedly slow response to the crisis.

The acting transport minister also denied that it got a “bruising” from the international press and dismissed media suggestions that the government's substandard response to the situation had damaged Malaysia's global image.

“To say bruising is a bit harsh because as I said it before this is unprecedented. Anybody that has gone through what we have gone through in these 17 days have indicated to me that we have a done a tremendous job,” the minister told a press conference here.

Hishammuddin noted that it was quite a feat that Malaysia achieved in coordinating such a large multi-national search operation, which currently involves 26 countries and some of the most sophisticated aircraft in existence, to look for the missing Malaysia Airlines-owned Boeing 777-200.

The minister called the ongoing operation a “great achievement”, even as Malaysia continues to receive brickbats and deals with unending speculations.

“In a world full of divide, hate, death, what we see here is a joint effort from all sectors of the community, notwithstanding the colour of our skin, our religion, countries that once fought over a piece of rock in the sea are now working together.

“I don't see it as a bruising, but of course looking at today, with no conclusion and no debris so far found, the speculations will go on and people will look to Malaysia.

“I think history will judge us well,” he said.

Hishammuddin repeated that Malaysia, along with the rest of the world, is facing an unprecedented situation as the international search operation works on locating the missing plane and its 239 passengers and crew.

Despite the difficult situation, however, the minister said there is also a silver lining for all Malaysians.

“We see Malaysians are now more united, regardless of their background or their political ideology. In Parliament, those in the government and the opposition their undivided support for the prime minister's motion,” he said, referring to a special motion tabled yesterday by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to mourn the fate of flight MH370.

“Also, all have offered their prayers, regardless of their religion, for the plane... there is a silver lining in this trial,” he said.

Search operations have begun to narrow down on a 400 square kilometre area located some 2,557km southwest out of Perth, Australia, where 122 objects potentially linked to the missing plane were sighted in a new batch of satellite images.

Hishammuddin said this is currently the best lead that they have in determining the final destination of flight MH370, though he cautioned that there is no guarantee that the newly discovered debris field will yield any conclusive evidence.