PETALING JAYA: The family of the late Peter Monjuntin is to speak to home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail about finally lifting the 45-year ban on a book about the Sabah leader who died in a plane crash in 1976.
Monjuntin, a founder of the Berjaya party and a state minister, was among 11 prominent people, including chief minister Fuad Stephens, who died in the June 6 crash, known as the “Double Six tragedy”.
His son Donald Peter Mojuntin, who is Upko deputy president, said the family hoped the unity government would consider their request seriously. He said the book, The Golden Son of the Kadazan, “shares insights and glimpses into the life of one of Sabah’s most revered leaders”.
“I will speak to (Saifuddin) when I get the opportunity and convey the wishes of our family as well as the author, Bernard Santa Maria, to lift the ban,” said Donald.
The family’s move comes in the wake of the declassification of the report into the plane crash. Describing the report as “shallow and incomplete”, Donald has repeatedly questioned why it was ever kept secret in the first place given its uncontroversial findings.
“Which raises the question: was there something more? Is there another report related to it?” he said.
He said the government must find out why the plane crash report was classified under the Official Secrets Act at all. The government should also obtain the Australian government report on the tragedy.
The Australian manufacturer of the plane, a Nomad operated by Sabah Air, and the Australian department of transport carried out an investigation into the crash, which was completed four months later.
