KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Despite the change in Australia's prime minister, the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines (MAS) aircraft, flight MH370, would still continue, said Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

"The Australians are still committed to the search," he said.

Australia's new Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull assumed office on Sept 15.

Datuk Seri Liow said they hoped to have a tripartite meeting in China next week to discuss the details of the search strategy.

"We need to improve and enhance the search location, to ensure that it is the precise spot and that the plane can be found soon," he said after the closing ceremony of the World Communication Forum in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday (Sept 29).

The tripartite meeting will be between Australia, China and Malaysia.

Australia is leading the search in the southern Indian Ocean for the plane that mysteriously diverted off course on March 8 last year and disappeared with 239 people on board.

Mr Liow said that from the drift pattern, it showed that the flaperon of the MAS aircraft had drifted to La Reunion Island from the southern Indian Ocean.

On Sept 5, Mr Liow said that since the French government had concluded that the flaperon found on La Reunion belongs to MH370, they would have to analyse the data to determine the specific location of the aircraft.

At a separate function, Mr Liow said the Malaysian Transport Safety Board Act was expected to be tabled during the Parliament sitting next month.

The draft was now with the Attorney-General's Chambers for further deliberation.

"My ministry together with the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research have been working on the draft to further improve safety measures for the public. We hope this Act will be ready by year end," he said in his speech while launching the NST-Petronas Urania Truck of the Year Awards night at a hotel.