MH370: ‘Next-of-kin will be compensated’

MH370: ‘Next-of-kin will be compensated’

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will ensure that all due compensation will be paid to the next-of-kin of those on board MH370, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

According to Liow, Malaysia Air­lines would deal directly with families and the Government would provide assistance wherever necessary.

“We will ensure that MAS will contact the next-of-kin and discuss how best to address their needs,” he said after opening the Strengthening the Teaching and Learning of the Chinese Language Seminar at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

The seminar, conducted by MCA’s Education Consultative Committee, was attended by educators from China as well as teachers and principals from Malaysian Chinese schools.

Liow said the MH370 Next-of-Kin Committee would also help monitor developments on welfare matters.

“The committee has also created a website for the convenience of families in obtaining the latest information and submitting questions relating to the developments on the MH370 search mission,” he said.

Socso has started processing claims for the beneficiaries of eligible members on board MH370, which includes the 12 crew members from Malaysia Airlines and nine Freescale Semiconductor Malaysia employees.

Welcome: Liow greeting Prof Zhu Ziqiang, a professor at the Literature and Journalism College of the Ocean University of China, during the seminar at Wisma MCA. Looking on are (from left) Dr Wong Siew Biang from the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Teachers’ Training Institute in Kuala Lipis, National Union of Heads of Schools Malaysia president Chen Khin On and MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

In a statement, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Anak Jaem said the next-of-kin would receive a funeral benefit of RM1,500 and a monthly payment of up to RM2,655, depending on the victims’ contributions.

“Their welfare is our primary concern,” said Liow, who is also MCA president, reiterating that the search for the aircraft would go on despite the latest declaration by Malaysia.

He pointed out that the deployment of an additional search vessel, Fugro Supporter, was proof of the multi-lateral commitment to find ing the B777-200 aircraft, currently believed to be at the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean.

On Thursday, Civil Aviation Department director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman declared that the disappearance of MH370 was an accident and no one was believed to have survived.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 last year with 239 passengers and crew when it disappeared from civilian air traffic control radars.

Australia also reaffirmed its commitment to search for MH370 with Malaysia and China through the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), which is coordinating efforts byFugro Equator, Fugro Discovery and GO Phoenix.

“We understand that the families of those on board MH370 are experiencing enormous grief, heightened by not knowing the circumstances under which the aircraft disappeared,” said JACC in a statement yesterday.

“This is a difficult time, and my thoughts and prayers, and those of the nation, are with you all,” said Liow, who is also the MCA president.

Later, Liow met with Kelly Wen, wife of a Chinese passenger on MH370, who has been here since last month to settle some matters related to her husband, whom she refused to name.

Meanwhile the DCA said Australia was confident it was searching in the right areas.

“This is the place. If we can’t find MH370 in these areas, we will sit down again with experts and look for the best way forward,” said DCA flight operations sector assistant director Capt Mior Nor Badrishah Mohamad, who added it was likely that the operation to scour 60,000km² of sea floor would be completed in May.