Picture by Sandra of Borneo Post, Sabahshowing family members with VIPs
In the news briefing session yesterday, there was this news item of "Double Six" Memorial Day. I did not have a clue of what it was!
Well, ASK! That's a simple word. But, it could also mean quite an embarrassment of not remembering much of the history of Sabah!
Well, ASK! That's a simple word. But, it could also mean quite an embarrassment of not remembering much of the history of Sabah!
Double Six is a memorial day when family members and Sabahans remembered the victims of a plane crash that wipe out half of the Sabah Cabinet. Yesterday was its 33rd Anniversary.
Journalist Sandra reports,
KOTA KINABALU: There were no speeches needed. Just wreaths to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of plane crashed that wiped out half of the Sabah Cabinet.Just a small group of family members and close friends of those who perished in the plane crash on June 6, 1976 gathered for the simple memorial ceremony, a day they felt important to mark one of the most sorrowful tragedies in the Sabah history.
And on that particular location where the Australian-designed Nomad aircraft crashed now stand a structure, dubbed the Double Six Monument, erected right in the heart of the City, to remind the people of the painful memory.
The plane, operated by Sabah Air, coming from Labuan crashed in the sub-district of Sembulan here upon approaching the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
Not even a single person survived the crash, including Tun Mohammad Fuad Stephens, the Sabah Chief Minister at that time.
He played a fundamental role in bringing Sabah into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. Fuad held the Chief Minister's post until 1964, and again on the year he perished in the crash.
His body was laid to rest at the State Mausoleum near the Sabah State Mosque, Kota Kinabalu. He was also the first Huguan Siou or Paramount Leader of the Kadazandusun community.
The other passengers were Local Government Minister, Datuk Peter Mojuntin; Communications and Works Minister, Datuk Chong Thain Vun; Finance Minister, Datuk Salleh Sulong; Assistant Minister to the Deputy Chief Minister, Darius Binion; and Fuad's eldest son, Johari.
Apart from the Cabinet ministers, six others include Finance Ministry permanent secretary, Datuk Wahid Peter Andau; Sabah Economic Planning Unit director Dr Syed Hussein Wafa; the Private Secretary to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Ishak Atan; Fuad's bodyguard, Corporal Mohammad Said; and the aircraft pilot, Captain Gandhi Nathan.
(Pix: From right, Assistant Finance Minister Donald Mojuntin, Fauziah Stephens, Faridah Stephens and her second daughter Johana paying their respect to their fathers/grandfather, Tun Fuad Stephens and Datuk Peter Mojuntin)
Do I bring you down the memory lane today?
4 comments:
Hi Yan,
Yes I remember him as Donald Stephens..
Btw, thanks for your comment.. am still struggling with long period of inactivity!
It's good to see you doing very fine.
yes,you certainly do bring me down the memory lane... it was a much talk about tragedy at that time.
Thank you for your visit and leaving such encouraging comment.
Have a blessed day.
Joe,
It's so nice to hear from you! May the Lord looks after you, as always!
Vicky,
You have nice, nice pictures and inspiring words in your blog! Thanks for visiting. I am learning more about Sabah. It's a shame being a Malaysia not knowing about other States! So, struggling!
Post a Comment