[UPDATED] Australia ready to release its report on Double Six crash: Loke

KUALA LUMPUR – The public can expect the full release of Australia’s own investigation report on the fatal Double Six air crash soon, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.

Speaking to the media after an event today, Loke said he has been informed that Canberra is prepared to follow in Putrajaya’s footsteps in declassifying the report into the 1976 incident, which claimed the life of then Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens and several others including three state cabinet ministers.

Loke said he recently communicated with the Australian government through its high commission here and expressed Malaysia’s position that it has no issues if its counterpart wishes to release its version of the report. 

“From the Australian side, they are prepared to release it. But of course, they respect our government, because this accident happened in Malaysia. 

“They have asked for our opinion and approval to release the report. As far as we are concerned, we have no objection. So it is up to them when they want to release it,” he said. 

Asked to confirm if he had given Malaysia’s approval for the declassification, Loke said: “Yes. We have communicated and said that once we release our report on our end, there’s no issue for them to release theirs.”

In the declassified final investigation report by Malaysia released yesterday, it was found that the probable cause of the plane crash in Sabah nearly 47 years ago was “unusual” technical difficulties, with overloading in the aft baggage compartment leading to the plane’s centre of gravity being off balance. 

In a statement last night, Stephens’ family members said Malaysia’s declassification of the report on the tragedy will not give a complete picture unless Australia’s reports on the matter are similarly released. 

The GAF Nomad N-22B utility aircraft, which was ferrying Stephens and 10 others from Labuan before it crashed while approaching the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on June 6, 1976, was made by the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) of Australia.

It is understood the Australian documents include findings of a team of experts from the country’s Transport Department and aircraft manufacturer GAF Nomad, titled “G. Bennett – Sabah Air Nomad – Report by Government Aircraft Factories (GAF)”. 

Meanwhile, Loke said while he is unsure why Malaysia’s report was previously classified under the Official Secrets Act 1972, but said the government today is committed to ensuring the truth reaches the public and victims’ families. 

“I think, in the past, these reports were classified as secrets because it was the standard procedure then, for reasons I don’t know and can’t answer on behalf of the then cabinet. 

“But we understand the victims’ families’ feelings...right now, what we are doing is to ensure the facts (of the accident) are made public.”

Whether the government plans to pay compensation to the families, Loke said this issue did not arise, as next-of-kin were more interested in the truth and to find closure. 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had, on April 5, announced cabinet’s decision to declassify Malaysia’s investigation report into the air crash, just three weeks after the federal government filed an appeal to overturn the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s order to declassify it. 

Former chief minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh, who succeeded Fuad as the head of the Sabah government following the ill-fated crash, filed the review application to make the classified report public.

State ministers Datuk Salleh Sulong, Datuk Peter Mojuntin and Chong Thien Vun were among those who perished in the accident. – The Vibes, April 13, 2023