PUTRAJAYA: The full report of the Sabah Air GAF Nomad crash in 1976, which claimed the lives of 11 people, will be declassified and revealed by next week.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the decision came after taking into consideration views of the people of Sabah and demands by the victims' next-of-kin.
"Hence, we decided that the final and full report of Sabah Air's GAF N-22B Nomad on June 6, 1976, will be declassified and revealed within a week.
"However, some of the findings could be released within the next few days," he said at a press conference after chairing the cabinet meeting today.
Anwar said information from the report would be disseminated through official statements issued by the government and Transport Ministry.
After 47 years, the investigation findings of the crash, which had also claimed the lives of five Sabah ministers, would finally be revealed to the public in accordance to Section 2(c) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972, he said.
Anwar said the decision was in line with the unity government's openness and transparency policy.
With the announcement, it will shed light on the events leading to the tragedy also known as the Double Six Crash and Double Six Tragedy, including the cause of the accident.
He said views from the Attorney-General Chambers had been sought before the decision was made.
"The cabinet is fully aware of the legal implications. But after looking into those concerns, we feel that we owe it to the people, people of Sabah and the families concerned to release (the report).
"I don't believe that findings such as this, which affected the families, state and public should be kept as Official Secrets Act (OSA)."
The plane crashed off Sembulan while attempting to land at the international airport, killing 11 people.
In 2019, then State Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew said there were many requests over the years for the truth about the June 6, 1976, event to be revealed.
Among the deceased were then Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens, Datuk Peter Mojuntin (local government and housing minister), Datuk Salleh Sulong (Sabah finance minister) and Chong Thien Vun (Sabah works and communication minister).
Also killed were Datuk Wahid Peter Andu (secretary to Sabah finance minister), Dr Syed Hussin Wafa (state economic planning director) and Datuk Ishak Atan (private secretary to then-Federal Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Stephens' eldest son Johari and bodyguard Corporal Said Mohammad, as well as pilot Captain Ghandi Nathan were also killed in the crash.
The incident occurred less than two months after Stephens' party, Berjaya, defeated Umno in the 1976 Sabah elections and subsequently formed the state government.
On March 8, the Kota Kinabalu High Court ordered the federal government to declassify the probe into the crash.