The government will further dent its international image by “reneging” on its promise to hold a briefing for Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians over the MH370 crisis, Pakatan Rakyat said today.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said today that the government’s refusal to conduct the briefing any time soon would “reinforce adverse national and international perceptions about the country’s transparency and crisis management”.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim ( right ) recently said that the briefing, initially due last week in Parliament, would only be conducted after the various committees formed by the government to deal with MH370 had concluded their investigations.

Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein previously held a briefing for BN backbenchers at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, and went on record to say that Pakatan representatives would get a briefing if they requested for it.

Despite an announcement by Shahidan in Parliament that the government is ready to brief Pakatan MPs, the briefing has not taken place till today.

'Disappointed and surprised'

DAP's Seremban MP Anthony Loke said that he was "disappointed and surprised" with the government's decision not to hold the briefing.

"It's as though Shahidan is avoiding meeting us, and the government is also avoiding from answering all our questions," Loke said.

He said that the government appears to be "waiting" and is yet to take any proactive action for confidence to return in its handling of the crisis.

Shahidan said last week that the government was unable to meet the MPs because Pakatan did not send him an official notice requesting the briefing.

Loke said he had obliged, and had written to Shahidan to have the briefing yesterday, April 8, though that too did not transpire.