Nothing to declassify, it’s available
Published on: Sunday, July 07, 2019
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The statement made by Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan that the decision regarding the Double Six will be forthcoming, was based on the written reply by the Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook that he will bring the matter to cabinet to have the Double Six Investigation Report declassified.
This highlights the utter ignorance of the Star president and the Federal Transport Minister who should be aware that:
1) any classified Government Report is automatically declassified after 21 years. This is practised in most democratic countries around the world and Malaysia is no exception.
2) The Federal Government through its Deputy Minister of Transport in 1995 had already reported in Parliament that the cause of the accident was due to the improper loading of cargo which had affected the centre of gravity of the plane.
On the part of Jeffrey, as an elected Member of Parliament he is obviously ignorant of the of the way the democratic administrative system works as he has again implied that the report may bring some evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
Jeffrey must acknowledge that the issue of the Double Six was settled within six months of the accident, when both the Australian and Malaysian Governments were required by Law of their respective countries to investigate and submit their reports accordingly. It is known these two countries are democratic and civilised.
It is not understood why these fully civilised and democratic countries did not release the report. However, in 1995, the Australian channel TV7 had broadcast an investigative report under the title of “Lies in the Sky”.
Whilst in Sabah, in the Court case of Harris Mohd. Salleh Vs Datuk Yong Teck Lee, all evidence was re-examined in Court. This case went as far as the Federal Court and based on the evidence tendered by Datuk Yong Teck Lee, the Court did not find any criminal wrong doing surrounding the Double Six tragedy.
It is advisable for Jeffrey to visit the National Archives in Canberra and retrieve the Double Six report conducted by the Australian Authorities and have it published in full in Sabah. It is merely the cost of a return flight to Canberra. He can also, whenever there is no sitting in Parliament or when the subject of discussion is of no interest to him, he should visit the Malaysian National Archives at Putra Jaya and have the Double Six Report extracted there too.
Both the Australian and Malaysian Reports are available in their respective Archives for anyone to search and publish.
Lastly it is hoped that the Newly Crowned Federal Minister should ask for an official opinion before making comments that confirms ones ignorance.
Dayang Jambul
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