TRANSPORT Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the public can expect the full release of Australia’s own investigation report into the fatal Double Six air crash soon.
Loke told the media after an event today that Canberra is ready to follow Putrajaya’s action and declassify the report into the 1976 incident that killed then-Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens and ten others, including three state cabinet ministers.
Loke mentioned that he recently discussed with the Australian government through its high commission in Malaysia, and that Malaysia has no objections 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.
When asked if he had given Malaysian authorisation for the declassification, Loke replied, “Yes. We have communicated and said that once we release our report on our end, there’s no issue for them to release theirs.”
The probable cause of the plane crash in Sabah nearly 47 years ago was “unusual” technical difficulties, with overloading in the aft baggage compartment resulting to the plane’s centre of gravity being off balance, according to Malaysia’s declassified final investigation report which was recently released.
Stephens’ family members said in a statement last night that Malaysia’s declassification of the report on the tragedy will not provide a complete picture unless Australia’s reports on the matter are also released.
The Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) of Australia produced the GAF Nomad N-22B utility aircraft that was transporting Stephens and ten others from Labuan before it crashed while approaching the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on June 6, 1976.
The Australian documents, titled “G. Bennett – Sabah Air Nomad – Report by Government Aircraft Factories (GAF)” are said to include the findings of a team of experts from the country’s Transport Department and aircraft manufacturer GAF Nomad.
In the meantime, Loke stated that while he is unsure why Malaysia’s report was previously classified under the Official Secrets Act of 1972, the government is now dedicated to making sure that 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.”
The question of whether the government intends to compensate the families, Loke said this issue did not arise, who stated that next-of-kin were more concerned with the truth and finding closure.
On April 5, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the Cabinet’s decision to declassify Malaysia’s air crash investigation report, 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 took over the Sabah government after Fuad passed away in the crash, filed the review application to make the classified report public.
Datuk Salleh Sulong, Datuk Peter Mojuntin and Datuk Chong Thien Vun were among those who perished in the accident were among the three state cabinet ministers who perished in the crash. – April 13, 2023
Main pic credit: Utusan Malaysia
