I would like to respond to IanW`s post of even date @ 18:27.
The ASEAN states of Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam responded almost immediately offering varying degrees of SAR assistance. Unfortunately, despite an abundance of resources, the MH370 SAR operation was hampered by poor cooperation and communications, contradictions and an apparent lack of trust in sharing sensitive information between ASEAN countries. Concerns over regional security must have played a significant part in this.
In 2015, ASEAN is expected to put into place an Open Skies Policy, or the Multilateral Agreements on Air Services and the Full Liberalisation of Freight Services, which aims to increase competition in the region’s aviation sector by limiting the restrictions on where airlines can fly and land. With this it is hoped that the region gains more flights, lower costs and greater competition.
The search for MH370 displayed the lack of progress made by ASEAN in developing adequate coordinated maritime Search and Rescue, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief capabilities.
If anything good is to come of such a monumental tragedy the least we hope for is that it may be the catalyst for ASEAN countries to unite and work together with a common aim of securing all their futures.
Perhaps in the full knowledge and appreciation of the socio-political and economic consequences of this incident that the Malaysian PM has vowed never to abandon the efforts to find the truth behind the mystery of the disappearance of Flight MH370.