deepest condolences to bereaved families of three soldiers who perished in
the Nuri helicopter crash in Sarawak and calls for inquiry into the causes
and remedies for the frequency of helicopter crashes in Ba’Kelalan
by Lim Kit Siang
(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): DAP extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families of three soldiers who perished in the Nuri helicopter crash in Sarawak on Sunday, the two pilots, Mejar Abdul Hadi Wahab and Kapten Asmalizn Ismail, and quartermaster Pegawai Waran Udara (1) Santaliah ak Kadur. The Nuri helicopter, with seven others, was on a ration run to convey food supplies to army posts near Ba’Kelalan in Sarawak when it crash-landed in bad weather.
The Federal and State governments should conduct an inquiry into the causes and remedies for the frequency of helicopter crashes in the Sarawak highlands as it was only a month ago that seven lives perished in a Bell Long Ranger helicopter crash in a similar location and to map out a strategy how such loss of lives could be prevented in the future.
With the two helicopter crashes and the loss of ten lives in a period of a month, a joint committee of the Federal and Sarawak State governments should be established to consider the urgency and feasibility of developing the road transportation system in the Sarawak highlands to reduce the dangers of helicopter navigation in the state, apart from examining other aspects to reduce the toll from helicopter crashes.
* Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader,
Member of Parliament for Ipoh Timor & DAP National Chairman