FAMILIES of the victims in the Double-Six air crash almost five decades ago have demanded to know why the investigation report into the crash was classified.
Datuk Donald Mojuntin, who is acting as the spokesman for the families, said they had written twice to the Transport Ministry for an explanation, as they found no grounds in the report's contents to justify its classification 48 years ago.
There was no response to the letters which were sent in January and April this year, he said.
"The families of the victims feel bad about this. We also feel bad for Sabahans. For the last 47 years, we have been wondering what actually happened. The report now is clear.
“But what is not clear was the reason why they classified the report as an official secret.
"The contents of the reports did not have elements of a threat to national security or unity. It is in the interest of the public to know what happened to their top leaders at the time," Mojuntin told reporters after the Double-Six memorial service held in Kota Kinabalu today.
The families are now contemplating legal action after their demands went unanswered.
The air crash has been shrouded in mystery as the incident claimed the lives of half of the Sabah cabinet members on June 6, 1976.
One of the victims was Mojuntin’s father, Datuk Peter Mojuntin who was the state’s local government and housing minister at the time.
He was one of the 11 people who perished in the Sabah Air GAF Nomad aircraft en route to Kota Kinabalu from Labuan, before crashing into the sea near Sembulan.
The others were then-Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens, Finance Minister Datuk Salleh Sulong, Public Works and Communications Minister Datuk Chong Thien Vun, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Darius Binion and Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Wahid Peter Andu.
Besides them, Syed Hussien (economic planning unit director), Ishak Atan (executive assistant to the then federal minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah), pilot captain Gandhi Nathan, corporal Said Mohamed (Fuad’s bodyguard) and Johari Stephens (Fuad’s eldest son) also perished in the crash.
The group had just concluded a meeting with Razaleigh over an oil agreement. Questions of conspiracy were raised with one alleging Sabah leaders were coerced into signing the deal only eight days after the crash on June 14.
Since then, many claimed that Sabah became the poorest in Malaysia after surrendering its oil, which was the state's major source of revenue at the time.
Two investigation reports were done into the crash, a Malaysian and the aircraft maker, the Australian Government Factories (GAF). But both were classified following its completion in 1977.
In 2023, the Federal Cabinet decided to declassify the report following a High Court order.
The Malaysian-version was released on April 6, 2023 while Australia released their report on April 26, 2023.
The Malaysian-version concluded miscalculations sorrounding the centre of gravity of the aircraft’s tail as the probable cause of the accident.
The Australian version cited the pilot as of sub-standard ability and noted the airline company, Sabah Air, had been operating the aircraft illegally as it did not meet requirements of the Civil Aviation Department.
Mojuntin described the Malaysian-version as normal, describing the findings as no grounds to place them under the Official Secrets Act.
He also found the version incomplete, citing gaps such as the lack of a forensic report and the flight recorder data needed to paint a full picture of what may have caused the crash.
Former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee also described the reports as “raising more questions than answers”.
Mojuntin said the families of the victims will meet soon to decide their next course of action.
“For the last six months, we haven’t received any acknowledgement or formal response that they have received our letters or are considering our demands," he said.
"It does not matter what they decide. But at least have some courtesy for the families who have been grieving for the last 48 years."
Mojuntin said the families have set the 48th anniversary of the air crash today, as the deadline for Putrajaya to respond.
Sabah deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan meanwhile said the families have the state government's support with whatever decision they make.
“It is the right of the family to do so. We sympathise with them. Of course they have the state government's support,” he said. – The Vibes, June 6, 2024.
