The government must be very careful in accepting international help with the search and rescue operation for Flight MH370, ‘to ensure that the nation's security is not compromised in the process’.

Sinar Harian quoted PAS’ Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar as saying this after reading that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been called in to examine data taken from a flight simulator built by the pilot, Capt Zaharie Ahmad Shah.

He reportedly said in Alor Setar yesterday that, if the FBI finds anything on the simulator, it will only strengthen negative perceptions “... that our country, as an Islamic country, is terrorism-prone”.

He added that accepting foreign help may also lead to the possibility of the country's political future being manipulated.

The Malaysian Airlines aircraft has been missing for 17 days now, with 239 people on board.