By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent, in Kuala Lumpur
A year since MH370 disappeared, the Malaysian transport minister has said his country remains committed to finding the plane but refused to pledge that the search would continue beyond May.
In an interview with Sky News, Liow Tiong Lai said that when the current search of the southern Indian Ocean is completed, "we will have to go back to the drawing board".
Families of those on board MH370 are holding the Malaysian government to a previous pledge to "never give up" in the search for the plane.
The ongoing search of a "priority search area" of some 60,000 square kilometres of seabed is due to be completed in May.
Four ships from the Dutch firm Fugro, jointly funded by the Malaysian and Australian governments and coordinated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), are scanning a mountainous seabed.
Mr Liow said: "Beyond May, if we have completed the 60,000 square kilometres, if we still cannot find the plane, then we have to go back to the drawing board, we have to go back to the expert group and discuss further what we should do next."
Pressed on whether he would give up or continue, the minister said that the next of kin needed answers but was not explicit in committing to a continued search.
"These are important issues not only for the next of kin but for the world and we are trying our level best as you can see and we stand guided by the expert search group.
"We are in the same shoes as the next of kin. We are together with the next of kin. We want to find the plane."
On the first anniversary, the minister again offered his condolences to the families.
"My heart goes out to the families and loved ones," he said.
"My thoughts and prayers are always with them. Malaysia together with others stand together with the families at this difficult time. I would like to commit to the families that we will continue the search."
The Malaysian government and Malaysia Airlines have been continually criticised for their handling of the tragedy.
Family members have complained of a lack of compassion, a flow of misinformation and have accused the authorities of knowingly misleading them.
In an open letter, published this week, one group of families said they were "subjected to a disorganised barrage of information from varied sources, much of which later proved to be incorrect".
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Gallery: Vigils Take Place To Remember Missing Flight MH370 One Year After Disappearance
A Chinese relative of passengers on board the airliner attends a gathering to mark the one-year anniversary of the disappearance in Kuala Lumpur
A child is comforted by her mother during a vigil to remember the victims
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