'No link' between pilot's politics and loss of Flight 370

Reports linking the pilot's political affiliation to the plane's disappearance were dismissed as wild, groundless allegations by the Malaysian opposition People's Justice Party, of which the captain is a life member.

The party said reports that captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was at the court that sent opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to jail on sodomy charges several hours before the pilot was to fly the plane to Beijing were untrue.

"Allegations that some tabloids in the UK have made about captain Zaharie were wild and not supported by facts," party spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said.

"I was at the trial during the two days and do not remember seeing him," he added. But he also said he did not know Zaharie was a party member until the news about the plane broke on March 8.

Fahmi said he hoped that the federal government would not use such reports to "label" opposition party members.

The Daily Mail ran a widely circulated story yesterday claiming Zaharie was a "political fanatic" and an obsessive supporter of Anwar, who was sentenced to five years' jail.