CIA may be withholding information about MH370, Malaysia's Mahathir says

One of Malaysia's most powerful politicians has suggested America's Central Intelligence Agency may be withholding information about missing flight MH370, and said the continuing search is a "waste of time and money".

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who is 88, also said too much blame had been placed on the Malaysian government and Malaysia Airlines.

"It is a waste of time and money to look for debris or oil slicks or listen for 'pings' from the black box," Mahathir wrote in a personal blog. "Someone is hiding something.

"It is not fair that MAS (Malaysia Airlines) and Malaysia should take the blame. For some reason the media will not print anything that involves Boeing or the CIA," he added.

The airline has come under intense scrutiny since the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared along with its 239 passengers and crew more than two months ago.

The Boeing 777 is believed to have crashed somewhere in the southern Indian ocean. But Mahathir said it might not have crashed into the ocean at all.