Sabah government supports legal action over "Double Six" crash compensation

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will support plans by the families of three Sabah ministers killed in the “Double Six” air crash 48 years ago to pursue legal action for compensation.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan agreed that it was their right to do so.

“We sympathise with them. They have the state government’s support,” he said after attending the 48th Double Six commemorative ceremony on Thursday (June 6).

Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin, who acted as the spokesman for the families, said they were disappointed that after two letters to the Transport Ministry, the latter remained silent.

“We sent the first letter in January and a follow-up in April. There have been no replies, nothing to acknowledge our letters or to say the matter is being considered,” he told reporters.

He said the silence was not only bad for the family members but also for Sabah and Sabahans who were still wondering what happened to the state leaders 48 years ago.

Donald’s father, Datuk Peter Mojuntin, who was the Local Government and Housing Minister then, was among the 11 people who perished in the plane crash on June 6, 1976 in Sembulan.

Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin.

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.

Additionally, 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.

“We want to know 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 public interest to know what happened to their top leaders at the time,” he said, adding that they had given a six-month deadline from January before deciding on their next course of action.

He added: “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. We have decided that if there is still no reply till today (June 6), then we will seriously discuss what to do next.”

The families were now contemplating legal action after their demands went unanswered.

The air crash had been shrouded in mystery as the incident claimed the lives of half of the Sabah cabinet in 1976.

Two investigation reports were done into the crash, one by Malaysia and one by the aircraft maker, the Australian Government Factories (GAF). But both were classified following their completion in 1977.

In 2023, the Federal Cabinet decided to declassify the reports 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 surrounding the centre of gravity of the aircraft’s tail as the probable cause of the accident, while 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 the requirements of the Civil Aviation Department.