KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh hopes the “Double Six” plane crash report will end accusations over his involvement in the tragedy.
Harris, who succeeded Tun Fuad Stephens – one of the 11 who perished in the crash of the Australian-made Nomad 9M-ATZ aircraft – as chief minister, hoped the report would be released in full.
“I hope the publication of the investigation report of the tragic crash on June 6, 1976 will not be redacted in any way and satisfy all those who have repeatedly slandered and indirectly accused me of involvement in the accident particularly around the (yearly) annual memorial service,” he said in a statement here on Thursday (April 6).
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“I have suffered for over 46 years (because of) the accusations and slander by a number of Sabah leaders.
“They have continued the slander despite meagre statements by the Malaysian government as to reasons for the crash and production of a documentary video by an Australian investigative reporter,” he added, although he did not specify who the leaders were.
According to Harris, the documentary presented to the Sabah High Court was aired in 1995 on Australian TV's long-running "Four Corners" investigative/current affairs programme.
The documentary, he added, spoke volumes by its title alone – “Lies in the Sky”.
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Based on what had been released on the Nomad plane crash, he contended that it was clear the aircraft was neither suitable nor fit to fly due to its faulty design.
According to Harris, it was reported that the aircraft was involved in as many as 32 crashes around the world, resulting in 76 fatalities.
“I hope those Sabah leaders who have accused me of involvement will accept (the) findings in the investigation report surrounding the Nomad plane crash at Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu and stop harbouring and propagating their unproven conspiracies," he said, thanking Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for making the report public.
Anwar had announced on Wednesday (April 5) that the full report would be released by the Transport Ministry next week, adding that the Cabinet had decided this was in the interest of the victims’ families and the people of Sabah.
Others who perished were state ministers Datuk Salleh Sulong, Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Chong Thien Vun, state assistant minister Darius Binion, Sabah Finance Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Wahid Peter Andau, Isak Atan (private secretary to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who was then finance minister), Syed Hussein Wafa (director of state economic planning unit), Kpl Said Mohammad (bodyguard to Fuad) and pilot Capt Gandhi Nathan.
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They were travelling from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu when the aircraft crashed in Sembulan.
Tengku Razaleigh, who had been in Sabah to discuss the Federal Government’s petroleum agreement with the state, had also been scheduled to be on the flight but was called away at the last minute, according to some reports.
Meanwhile, Harris said he was also suing the Australian government over its previous claim that it cannot release its version of the investigation report as requested by the Malaysian government.
“The Malaysian government has denied this. It is hoped the Australian government will release its report now that our government has decided to declassify the Malaysian investigation report.
“It is beyond comprehension and unimaginable that a civilised and democratic Malaysian government, by classifying the investigation report, had caused Sabahans to harbour unproven accusations and target their slander at me personally,” he said.
