"It was a surface-to-air missile, and such a system could either be available to the Ukrainians or rebel forces," Hishammuddin was quoted as saying by the Malaysian Star.
Hishamuddin's remarks were based on military intelligence and from investigating the remains of MH17.
It was earlier reported that certain intelligence analysts had concluded that the plane was shot down by an air-to-air missile, and that the Ukrainian government had something to do with it.
The disaster has deeply shocked Malaysia, which is still grappling with the trauma of the March 8 disappearance of MH370 with 239 passengers and crew aboard, including 38 Malaysians.