Malaysia says there will be no let-up in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, in a statement to mark 100 days since the plane disappeared.

“We cannot and will not rest until MH370 is found,” Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Sunday.

The Beijing-bound aircraft, with 239 people on board, including six Australians and two New Zealanders, disappeared about an hour after it took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 8.

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“We cannot and will not abandon the families of the crew and passengers of MH370,” he said, following criticism of how the search operation was handled, particularly from relatives of the passengers.

Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. Photo: Getty.

Hishammuddin expressed gratitude to Australia, China and all the countries that have joined the so far fruitless search.

“Indeed, as the search transitions to a more challenging phase, we reaffirm our commitment with renewed vigour to locate the missing MH370,” he added.

Hishammuddin said he was confident, despite the criticisms aimed at the Malaysian authorities, that “Malaysia will be credited for doing the best to our abilities under near-impossible circumstances and history will judge us favourably for that”.

On Thursday, seven relatives of people aboard the missing plane received $US50,000 ($A55,000) as an initial payout from Malaysia Airlines’ insurers.

The insurers are processing the papers of the other relatives in preparation for receiving the initial compensation, said Hamzah Zainuddin, chief of the government committee dealing with the families.

He said a final payment would be determined only after the search operation is concluded.