“The revelation (that Sabah Air was operating illegally) in the Australian report is shocking. It raises even more questions,” Darell Leiking told FMT.
The former Penampang MP was commenting on the declassified report by Government Aircraft Factories (GAF), the Australian manufacturer of the ill-fated aircraft.
The report, released today, found that Sabah Air was essentially operating illegally during the crash on June 6, 1976.
The report said Sabah Air had submitted the draft of its operations manual towards the end of 1975, but this was never approved by the then civil aviation department, a federal authority.
“This crucial detail was not mentioned in the Malaysian report on the crash. Why? The federal government must explain.
“The Sabah government must also clarify Sabah Air’s status at the time of the crash because Sabah Air is an agency under the state government.
“Both the federal and state governments have a legal responsibility to the families of those who perished in the crash,” Leiking said.
He also said the families should consider legal avenues to seek redress against the state government if the report by GAF is substantiated.
According to the Malaysian report declassified earlier this month, the plane’s pilot had a history of poor performance in flying and the aircraft was overloaded.
The incident claimed the lives of then Sabah chief minister Fuad Stephens, state ministers Salleh Sulong, Chong Thien Vun and Peter Mojuntin as well as seven others after the GAF Nomad aircraft they were in crashed in Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu.
Investigations were launched by the Malaysian authorities, GAF and the Australian department of transport, but their findings were never made public until earlier this month.
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