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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Ex-minister supports re-investigation into air crash

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 6, 2011: A former state minister told the High Court here that he would certainly support a call for a re-investigation into the plane crash of June 6, 1976 that killed former Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens and all 10 others on board, including his loving brother Datuk Peter Mojuntin.

Datuk Conrad Mojuntin said by doing so, the incident would be put to rest and all those people who had unfortunately died in the air crash would be able to rest in peace.

"I myself would also be able to heal the grievous wound in my heart caused by the death of my loving brother Peter," Conrad said during examination-in-chief by counsel Datuk Simon Shim.
Mojuntin, 63, was testifying before Justice Dato' Abdul Rahman Sebli in the on-going hearing of a RM50 million suit brought by Tan Sri Harris Salleh against Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee and the party, for allegedly insinuating that he (Harris) was involved in causing the plane crash.

Shim is the counsel for Yong and the party, who are the first and second respondents respectively.

Harris, 81, who filed the suit on June 6, last year, is claiming for general damages, aggravated and exemplary damages of not less than RM50 million to be assessed separately against Yong and SAPP.

He is also seeking an injunction to restrain the defendants whether by themselves or their servants or employees or agents from printing and publishing further the statements and similar libel in any form or means.

Harris is represented by counsel Yunof Maringking and Trevor Maringking.

To another question from Shim, Conrad said that he was aware of a talk by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in Penampang on April 2, 2010 as he had read of it in the Daily Express.

He had also read in the same newspaper that Tengku Razaleigh had said that he would have been one of the dead in the crash if he was not called by the plaintiff to go to another plane to fly to somewhere in Kudat.

When asked on his reaction of Tengku Razaleigh's disclosure of the incident, Mojuntin said, "I have never heard before of what Tengku Razaleigh had said and surely I was shocked with what he had said because he had never made such a statement before."

"Since the so-called investigation into that plane crash on June 6, 1976 was not revealed, being the youngest brother of Peter, surely I would like to know the reason as to why that plane crashed,"

To a further question from Shim, Mojuntin said he was aware of a book called "The Golden Son of Kadazan".

He told the court that the author of the book, the late Bernard Santa Maria, came to see him regarding his intention to write the book.

Mojuntin said he encouraged him to do so, adding that the book was regarding the sacrifices and the political work of his loving brother Peter.

He however pointed out that in that book, it was not clear as to the cause of the plane crash.

The defendants' fifth witness told the court that the book has been banned a long time ago and that he did not know why it was banned and who banned it.

Mojuntin also testified in court that after Tengku Razaleigh's revelation regarding the plane crash, he wrote a letter to God on June 17, this year because he really wanted to know as to how the plane crashed.

He said his letter to God was published in The Borneo Post the next day.

The witness' letter to God and also the newspaper cutting were tendered in court as exhibits marked D1 and D2 respectively.

When Shim asked Mojuntin whether the latter was aware that there was a press statement made by Datuk Donald Mojuntin that the family did not want to have anything further to do with the call for re-investigation, Mojuntin said, "I read that in the newspaper."

However, he said he did not give any authority to his nephew Donald, to write on his behalf regarding the statement in the newspaper, adding that it was purely his (Donald's) opinion.

To another question from Shim, Mojuntin said he would like to know the truth as to how the plane crashed and for it to be revealed publicly.

By Kelimen Sawatan BP

19 comments:

  1. Just a question to Harris....are you involved?

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  2. The truth will be revealed no matter how its hidden.

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  3. Better wait for the results of the investigations after this.

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  4. Oh yeah..can't wait the truth to be revealed! I bet the mastermind behind the crash can't sleep well already...

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  5. Why the book was banned??

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  6. kejadian tersebut dah lama, dan kini ia disisat semula untuk mengetahui punca sebenar kejadian tersebut.

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  7. dan semoga hal sebenar mengenai kejadian tersebut akan diketahui.

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  8. ask the family victims before raising this issue..

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  9. isu ini sudah lama, namun masih ditimbulkan lagi.

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  10. tunggu sajalah sehingga kes ini selesai untuk mengethui kebenarannya.

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  11. Sabahan have the right to know the truth..

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  12. pasti berdebar2 jantung orang yang terlibat dengan nahas kapal terbang tu. takut nanti kebenaran terdedah.

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  13. bukankah banyak sudah bukti yang hilang. kenapa tidak saja siasat berterusan sebaik tragedi tersebut berlaku?

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  14. The truth must be revealed and those responsible for the cover up must be punished whether by the system or gy GOD.

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  15. Wasn't it a little too convenient that Harris should ask Razaleigh to get out of the plane and take another and shortly thereafter the plane crashes killing all on board. Convenient Harris!!

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  16. Semoga mangsa yang terlibat dalam kemalangan udara akan tenteram dialam lain..

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  17. Kenapa sekarang mahu dibuat siasatan kenapa tidak semasa kemalangan itu berlaku. Rasanya kalau sekarang dibuat siasatan banyak bukti telah lupus dan tidak bermakna langsung.

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  18. If the plane crushed is an actual accident then it is a sorrowful case. Just in case the accident is intentionally planned the planner has to be answerable to the count. Why offered the people on board a basket of mangoes just before the plan took off?

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  19. Life was precious and the world was unfare to many people who lost their live to corruption. Those killed by SPRM, those from Mongolia. Their soul will only rest in peace after revence was done. For those responsible person, ketulahan kamurang.....

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