It is up to the families of the Double Six victims to write a letter to request for another inquiry into the plane crash tragedy, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.

“I feel that this matter is up to the families involved. The government will support whatever the families want as long as it is right,” he said.

Jeffrey said although the reports had been released, there are still many questions on the issue – why did it take so long? Why was it hidden and not exposed from the start?”

“Why keep it a secret and raise in us questions that play in our head because the report was not released from the start,” he said to the media at the annual Double Six memorial service held at the monument in Sembulan on Tuesday.

“Secondly, what happened to the black box which may provide more detailed information on what really occurred. Where is that blackbox? Why is it that until now, it cannot be detected and is the black box lost or made to disappear?

“As long as we don’t know, questions will always arise and because of that, it won’t be a surprise, the people are still waiting for answers to the questions playing in their mind. Don’t blame them for thinking like that, raising questions that remain unanswered,” he said.

Jeffrey said that 47 years (of waiting) is long enough.

“On behalf of the government, I sympathise with the families and relatives and the rakyat who are still asking in their thoughts.

“I hope all this will be fully resolved and I don’t believe that black box cannot be found. The incident occurred around here and it is not difficult to be found. It should be with the aircraft at that time. Who took the black box? Why do they want to hide it?”

He also said that he believes the aircraft contained a black box and disputed claims that it was not fitted with one.

“Every aircraft is equipped with a black box,” he said.

The Double Six crash occurred on 6 June 1976 involving a GAF N-22B Nomad of Sabah Air, killing all onboard. The deceased were the then Sabah Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens, Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Sabah Communications and Public Works Minister Datuk Chong Thien Vun, Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Salleh Sulong, Deputy Chief Minister’s assistant Datuk Darius Binion, Sabah Finance Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Wahid Peter Andau, Sabah Economic Planning Unit director Dr Syed Hussein Wafa, Ishak Atan, Corporal Said Mohammad, Johari Fuad Stephens, and pilot, Gandhi J. Nathan.

The son of the late Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Datuk Donald Mojuntin, said they still feel they have not received the answers they were looking for even after the reports were released.

“Because according to the reports, it is linked to the pilot’s negligence and failure of the aircraft, but whatever is reported does not answer why the matter was kept hidden for over 40 years. Why? What is the excuse? Because going through the report, there are no reasons why. So families feel a bit let down with the matter,” he said.

Donald added that he doesn’t blame his family and the families of other victims as everyone wanted to find closure.

“But just imagine. Instead of getting closure, the wounds started bleeding again,” he said.

Donald also said he still wonders what happened each time he stood in front of the Double Six monument.

“I will ask what really transpired. Why is the incident that is important for Sabah kept hidden from families and the Sabah people.

“All generations of Sabahans are asking about this. Even my friends are asking why the reports were hidden. They don’t blame me, because we also feel disturbed,” he said.

Donald said that the questions that are unanswered must be answered.

“I hope there will be answers to the questions if we take further actions, but there must be an agreement from all the families, there must be togetherness.”

“We will meet. Actually, we are constantly in contact with one another,” he said, also at the Double Six ceremony.

Donald later went to the memorial service for his late father at the Tugu Datuk Peter Mojuntin in Donggongon, Penampang.

He was asked what the next course of action would be for the families involved.

“I think people have to be clear about this. What is contained in the Australian report was that Sabah Air was operating without permit or the proper licence from the Civil Aviation Department. Forensic findings in the Australian report also state that there was equipment failure apart from the Malaysian report that there was some issue with the pilot.”

“But for me, blaming the pilot is one thing but he is not here to defend himself. So what we are focusing on is why was Sabah Air permitted to operate with such an important passenger load? These are the queries and there are many questions from friends on the next course of action by the families of those who perished. Basically most of the families would say ‘no comment’.”

“We must talk among ourselves. To me whatever happens from here, it must be either together or not at all,” he said.

“For the moment the family will continue to discuss with our legal friends whether it is possible, whether we want to take any action or not. At this moment in time, all the families will tell you we have no comment for now because we need to talk about it,” he said.

Granddaughter of the late Datuk Darius Binion, Melody Marcus, 28, felt that even after the reports were released, she doesn’t feel everything is over yet.

“I feel the report doesn’t tell the entire story. I think it is meant to satisfy people but at the same time doesn’t cover the entire thing. The report isn’t giving a clear picture of what happened. I think the details are incomplete, in a sense that it sounds like an excuse, to be honest. It doesn’t seem like a finished story and I think they could have recovered a black box in the airplane. I think that technology existed back then. I think that would have been more helpful in trying to make a more full and complete report. It will be interesting to find out what happened inside the airplane with all the people onboard,” she said.

At the same time, she commended the Sabah State Government for the Double Six event to remember the deceased leaders, including a building that houses information on those who perished in the fatal crash.

“This is a good way to introduce people who might not know the leaders behind the crash; their stories and livelihood, right up to their moment of death,” she said.

The Malaysian and Australian governments declassified the 1977 investigation report on the Double Six tragedy in April this year.

Melody was accompanying her grandmother, Datin Jikilin Binion, who has faithfully, over the years, attended the Double Six memorial event in Sembulan.

Also present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister III cum Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir, Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Assistant Finance Minister Tan Lee Fatt, and City Hall deputy director general (Operation) Robert Lipon.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by THE BORNEO POST

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