Liow: Part sent to Australia for verification

KUALA LUMPUR: The discovery of new debris is helpful to investigators piecing together events leading to the tragic disappearance of Flight MH370, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

“We need more information to find out what happened to the plane. We want to know how the plane had lost contact,” he told reporters after officiating SJK(C) Wangsa Maju’s one-year anniversary celebration yesterday.

Liow was referring to reports of newly-found debris that had washed ashore in Mauritius and Mozambique recently.

International news agencies reported that one of the pieces found resembled a fuselage, measuring 80cm by 40cm.

Liow revealed that the debris would be sent to Australia for verification.

“The procedure is the same, regardless of where the debris is found,” he said.

When asked if the search would be called off once the 120sq km combing of the South Indian Ocean is complete, Liow said the ministry will be guided by the experts’ group leading the investigation.

“Right now there is no decision. It will be made at the tripartite meeting, which is set to be held later this month or in July,” he said.

On the school event, Liow said that quality of education is of paramount importance, adding that it has to move “in tandem” with the changing needs of modern society.

“We cannot use the old teaching methods to teach children today. Teachers, headmasters and parents need to adapt to changes,” he said.

He praised the board of governors of SJK(C) Wangsa Maju for outfitting the school with the latest technology.

Despite being just one-year-old, the school has an auditorium, a basement carpark, an interactive resource centre and adopts the “Smart School 2.0” project, designed to make teaching and learning at Chinese primary schools more effective.

The school’s construction started in 2012 and cost RM22mil, some RM7mil above budget.

The Education Ministry sponsored RM6mil with the rest being collected by donors from the community and the corporate sector.

Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon and Federal Territories MCA chairman Datuk Yew Teong Look were present at the celebration.