There are unconfirmed reports that the flight has made an emergency landing in [Naning/Nan Ming] -- but hours after it allegedly ran out of fuel (7.5h of fuel on board). Hope for the best.
KL is a scary place, and their Airline is even scarier. Actually, scary is not really a word I use too much. Creepy is more like it. The airline, at 8AM in the morning, serves you breakfast in 1st class, and they make it a point to remind you several times that smuggling children is not allowed in Malaysia. Basically, instead of, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching <destination>..." - they say, "Ladies and gentlemen, just a reminder that it is illegal to smuggle children in or out of Malaysia." Now, back to the breakfast. They give you a box and it contains some random items like a Snickers bar, moist towelette, apple. Very strange place. For those of you who've been, you know why it took them five hours to report.
Seriously? I've been to KL several times, their airport is ultra modern, one of the best in the world, nothing scary about this place.
Isn't the US immigration form asking if you have ever kidnapped a US child or commit genocide? http://www.immihelp.com/visas/i-94w.html
If Malaysia has a problem with children being smuggled (in or out) and the airline is being open about it, that's quite commendable. Asia is a land of great disparity in living conditions, and will need to rules adjusted to the situation. So while I wouldn't call it creepy/scary, I can understand the context in which you might have used it.
So if contact was lost 5 hours before a statement was issued does that mean there was no failsafe in place to immediately alert them that contact was lost?
ATC probably knew they didn't have contact quite a bit earlier than 5 hours after the plane's last communication - but it would make good sense to confirm that the plane is really, actually, 100% sure out of contact before releasing a statement to the public and potentially causing panic.