In this darkest moment of truth, all caring citizens across the globe stand united in prayer as the Malaysian prime minister’s news of the final fate of the ill-fated jet aircraft breaks the hearts of the loved ones of the 239 people on board the plane.

With all hope dashed, we can only find solace in God - irrespective of in what name we choose to call our God. As believers, all around the world, we pray that eternal peace be granted to the souls that perished in this unprecedented aviation mystery.

While Malaysians join the millions around the world to observe quiet moments of prayers for the deceased and intercede for strength and comfort for the loved ones left behind by the 239 passengers and crew who perished in the deep, wide ocean, we must also brace ourselves to ask critically vital questions that beg honest answers.

Let not this aircraft tragedy end up like the still mysterious Altantuya Shaariibuu murder saga that till this day wraps Malaysia in global shame.

While we wait with unabated suspense over what would have really caused this historic tragedy, we must acknowledge that the citizens of over a dozen nations who died in this tragic incident were on board on none other but our very own national carrier.

It was an aircraft that was maintained and manned as well as secured on the ground and within the airport and in the air by our own citizens. MAS, airport authorities, immigration, customs, police and military - all of them would in all likelihood have had a hand or finger somehow in this tragedy.

And only the black box would dismiss any or finally hold someone responsible ultimately.

In the meantime, any amount of monetary compensation cannot bring back those who died in mysterious circumstances; all the wealth in the world cannot make up for the pain, agony and anguish that cradles the bosom of the living loved ones and next-of-kin of those who died.

Henceforth, the post-tragedy phase demands that Malaysians must take stock of several realities that have plagued us from the very dawn of knowing that MH370 was missing. There are many unanswered questions even after almost half a month.

A government shroud still seems to stubbornly prevail and only gets lifted in some cases after some scoop from the foreign media.

Hence foremost, the government of Malaysia that has always prided itself as the longest serving and surviving political party in power spanning over half a century, must take full accountability over this tragedy. Its leaders cannot cry foul over media ‘speculation’ and attempt to hide behind ‘sensitive data’ and ‘confidential information’.

Here is a tragedy that humanity must learn from and rectify fast to avert future incidents of such magnitude, delays, unknown-unknowns and even known-unknowns and unknown-knowns.

Not taking questions from media in the thick of this tragedy for example must be reviewed without fear or favour. It is not the prerogative of leaders. Shutting out media abruptly or treating journalists covering this tragic saga like a thorn in the side is totally unacceptable and only invites greater troubles.

On the contrary it is a categorical compliance for the government of Malaysia to listen to media queries and provide timely, reliable, honest clarifications as media have that time-honoured duty to inform citizens around the world who have a right to know.

It is therefore yet another blotch for this nation when the prime minister, upon breaking the most unwanted news of devastation, walks away abruptly from the press without taking questions.

Acceptable clarification that’s timely and verified

Any and all follow-up queries and reporting must be tackled with that sole sense of accountability, i.e. that Malaysia owes the world acceptable clarification that is timely and verified beyond doubt.

We also need to take an involved interest in holding our government and its leaders responsible for safety and security of people who are enticed through multi-million dollar advertising budgets to fly with our national carrier.

The Malaysian Airlines is a government-owned and operated airlines. As such, leaders appointed by the government to manage the airlines must be competent, accountable and on-the-ball in so far as their roles and responsibilities go.

We also need to reassess our Malaysian mindset in so far as safety and security parameters go. Are we compliant to all standards as enforced by world bodies? Are we competent to fulfill the stringent standards that are observed by many operators in the developed world?

As we keep harping that Malaysia is on the verge of becoming a developed world status nation, we need to recognise with honesty whether we are also of the same mindset and attitudes needed to raise our safety and security benchmarks.

Indeed this uncalled for tragedy has exposed the ‘Truly Asian’ Malaysia to the world. Let us not be belittled by this judgment. Rather, let us with humility take this as an opportunity to appraise our competency, capacity and capability.

For a long time, we have been trapped in the race-mantra that spans from economics to politics to social and environmental progress benchmarking. We need to honestly ask ourselves are we doing this at the expense of capability, competency and delivery.

For a nation that has been enjoying the oil and crops dividends and using the gains in an unilateral manner trying to outbid many nations with majestic superstructures and namesake infrastructures and opulent mega-cities, we need to stop in our tracks and reassess. Are we faking progress or are we really progressing in mind, body and soul nationwide?

Let us go back to the ground and take critical stock of how safe a nation we are - what are our crisis management capabilities? What are our safety and security standards? What are our sense of capabilities and competencies?

We truly will be able to find the answers once we decide to put a stop to corruption. We truly will find the answers once we put a stop to tyranny in any form and endorse true democracy.

Indeed, as the rest of the affected nations get to the bottom of the truth on the ill fated aircraft, Malaysia will not escape any further attempts to window-dress. The government of 57 years will have to face up to the truth.

Pray we learn our lessons fast and change for the better.

Only then would we as a nation have done justice to the lost lives and their surviving loved ones.