MH370 The next-of-kin of 20 people on board the missing Flight MH370 said that Putrajaya’s decision to declare that those on board the plane are presumed dead, has provided no closure.

At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur late this evening, four family members said that they cannot accept Putrajaya’s stance without any proof whatsoever that their loved ones are dead.

Moreover, the next-of-kin argued that it was inappropriate to declare that those on board the plane are dead as the search for the plane was still ongoing.

“I am strongly protesting, dissastisfied, disappointed with their announcement,” said one of the family members from China, known only as Kelly.

Others expressed outrage over the fact that the authorities decided to make the announcement through the press and not inform them privately first.

Jacquira Gonzalez, wife of in-flight supervisor Patrick Gomes, said that it was insensitive of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to do so.

Meanwhile, others panned the DCA’s claim that Putrajaya had decided to declare the plane as lost in order to help family members process insurance claims.

“They said they want to make the compensation (process easier). We are not interested in their compensation.

“To the world, it has been a year, but to us, we have been living in agony every day,” said Grace Subathirai, daugther of passenger Anne Daisy.

The four individuals managed to speak for 15 minutes before the event was called off due to the rain. They were speaking at an open air venue.

Those who spoke at the event said that they have yet to decide on what to do next.

Yesterday, the DCA had declared that all 239 passengers and crew on board MH370 are presumed to have “lost their lives”, but promised that the search for the plane would continue.

MH370, a Malaysian Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, went missing on March 8 last year.

It is believed to have ended its flight somewhere in the Indian Ocean near Australia. Australian authorities are currently undertaking search operations.