However, he said that Malaysia must also act wisely in handling the issue.

He said the fact that the latest report by the International Civil Aviation Organization finding Russia responsible for downing MH17 was released a day before Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Moscow must be taken into account.

“I believe, as the prime minister mentioned, this matter should not be politicised. At this point, what matters the most is how we can find ways to resolve the crisis or issue that has arisen,” he told Malaysian media covering the prime minister’s official visit to Moscow and Kazan, Tatarstan.

He also noted calls for the prime minister to take a firm stand on the MH17 tragedy.

“In a closed-door meeting with president Vladimir Putin, the prime minister directly raised this issue,” he said.

Kamil also described the first segment of Anwar’s visit to Moscow as highly fruitful.

“The prime minister met with the Russian Federation’s prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, and president Vladimir Putin. Several important matters were discussed, including volatile trade as well as other issues.

“We have seen developments that could further strengthen and expand economic trade opportunities, including confirmation and the finalisation of arrangements for direct flights by Russian carrier Aeroflot, which will soon commence operations from Moscow to Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

He said this would further boost tourism between the two countries, which has already seen a significant increase in visitor numbers over the last two years.

He said discussions on other sectors, including the halal industry, had also shown progress.

“The prime minister held meetings with industry players and saw great potential over the next five years. If all goes well, we could see investments valued at between US$5 billion and US$10 billion in trade between Malaysia and Russia,” he said.