KOTA KINABALU: The 1976 Double Six tragedy, which killed 11 people including the then Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens, remains a historical moment for Sabah.
State Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the incident has always been one that saddens Sabahans.
"Every year, we come here not just to commemorate the crash victims and the family members who are left behind, but also to consider what we can do to alleviate the burden on the next-of-kin.
"We lost our leaders, which were equivalent to half of the (state) cabinet.
"What is even more saddening is that those leaders were returning from Labuan," he said, adding that the incident occurred after the signing of an agreement.
"Until now, it has remains a mystery," he said after the commemoration ceremony at the Double Six Monument here.
Apart from Stephen, the other crash victims were the then Sabah housing and local government minister Datuk Peter Mojuntin; the then communications and public works minister Datuk Chong Thien Vun; the then Sabah finance minister Datuk Salleh Sulong; the then deputy chief minister's assistant minister Datuk Darius Binion; the then finance minister's secretary Datuk Wahid Peter Andau; the then economic planning unit director Dr Syed Hussein Wafa; and the then minister of finance's private secretary Ishak Atan.
Others were Stephen's bodyguard Corporal Said Mohammad; Stephen's son Johari Fuad Stephens; and pilot Gandhi J. Nathan.
A day before the crash, Fuad and his brother, Benedict, as well as other Berjaya party leaders, gathered at the Labuan Golf Club to host the then finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
Razaleigh was also the then Petroliam Nasional Bhd chairman.
Jeffrey, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president, said that after a few decades since the crash, the federal government finally agreed to declassify the investigation report last year.
The 20-page report stated that there was no evidence of "sabotage, fire, or explosion" in the crash of the Australian-made Nomad N-22B 9M-ATZ.
Despite the disclosure, Jeffrey said there were many unanswered questions, including how Sabah lost the rights to demand oil royalties.
The Keningau member of parliament gave his assurance that he would continue to raise the matter in Parliament.
Jeffrey said he agreed to a suggestion made by a non-governmental organisation to include the tragedy in the national education system.
On a suggestion to have a similar aircraft at the memorial site, he said it was a good proposal.