Discussions between the two countries on the next phase of the search will include negotiations over the cost of the search

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

The Malaysian government has revealed that it has spent just a fraction of what Australia has paid in the search for missing flight MH370, as officials from both countries prepare to meet to discuss the next phase of the mission.



Officials from Malaysia are expected in Canberra on Tuesday for talks, including discussions about funding for the operation.

The Australian government has set aside almost $90m for the search, expected to be the most expensive in aviation history, but it is possible that figure could increase.

The treasure, Joe Hockey, said Australia wouldn't try to avoid picking up the tab.



"It is understood that the plane went down in waters that are our responsibility, and there is a cost to having responsibility and we don't shirk that," he told reporters on Tuesday morning.



"We accept responsibility and will pay for it. We're not a country that begs others for money to do our job."

The head of the joint task force charged with finding MH370, Angus Houston, said on Tuesday that discussions on the next phase of the search would include negotiations with Malaysia over the cost of the search.

"The government has allocated $89.9m. I think about $25m of that is to go the defence force for the visual search they conducted," the former defence force chief Air Chief Marshal Houston told the ABC.

"There's another $60m that's been allocated for the underwater search."

"That money has been allocated but we're still to crunch, or still to negotiate the burden-sharing with, for example, Malaysia."

But a senior Malaysian government official has already said Australia was expected to share the cost of the next phase, adding that there were no figures yet for how much would have to be spent.

"Costs will be shared 50-50 between Malaysia and Australia," Malaysia's deputy defence minister, Abdul Rahim Bakri, said.

The comments came as Malaysia's transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, confirmed his government had spent 27.6m ringgit ($9.30m) in fuel and food for equipment and personnel in the search.

"The cost that we had to bear is relatively small compared with the other assets given by other countries used in the search," Hishammuddin said.

"I am proud that many of our friends have come forward to help in the search, and they bear their own expenses and have not made any claims from us."

More than three months have passed since the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, including six Australians.

The Boeing 777 is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, but an extensive search has turned up no sign of wreckage.

The Australian Transport Safety Board last week issued a tender to continue the deep-water search for the ill-fated flight.