ABSTRACT: On June 6, 1976, Malaysians were shocked by a plane crash killing the top ranks leaders of the newly appointed state government of Sabah, Malaysia. The Australian-made aircraft types NOMAD plane crashed in the village of Sembulan Baru, which is located two miles away from the International Airport and the city of Kota Kinabalu. “Double Six” tragedy on June 6, 1976 in Sabah, Malaysia has resulted in widespread dissemination of conspiracy theory. This crash killed all the people on board, including Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens, who has been shortly appointed as the Chief Minister of Sabah. The sudden death of Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens created opportunity for Datuk Mohd Harris Salleh to be appointed as the Chief Minister of Sabah. This paper seeks and analyses the causes behind the crash which remain unknown. This paper applies also the historical method analysis, comprising an analysis of the most pertinent documents. In addition, this paper presents the views of high profile individual such as Datuk Mohd Harris Salleh and Toh Puan Hajjah Rahimah Stephens how events can occur. However, writer strongly agree with Datuk Harris Salleh and Toh Puan Hajjah Rahimah Stephens that “human error” was a major factor of “Double Six” tragedy.

KEY WORD: Double six tragedy, crash, Chief Ministers of Sabah, human erros, technical erros, and conspiracy theory.

RESUME: Kertas kerja ini bertajuk “Tragedi Double Six dan Implikasi terhadap Perkembangan Politik di Sabah, Malaysia”. Pada 6 Jun 1976, rakyat Malaysia telah dikejutkan oleh nahas sebuah pesawat udara yang mengorbankan seorang pemimpin kerajaan Sabah yang baru dilantik. Pesawat udara jenis NOMAD buatan Australia telah jatuh di Kampong Sembulan Baru, dua batu jauhnya dari Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa dan Kota Kinabalu. Berlakunya peristiwa “Double Six” pada 6 Jun 1976 di Sabah, Malaysia telah mengundang pelbagai penafsiran terhadap punca-punca nahas. Peristiwa ini menyebabkan semua anak kapal terbunuh, termasuk Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens yang ketika itu menjawat jawatan Ketua Menteri Sabah. Kematian Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens telah memberi peluang kepada Datuk Mohd Harris Salleh apabila beliau dilantik sebagai Ketua Menteri Sabah. Kertas kerja ini berusaha mengenal pasti faktor-faktor berlakunya nahas dengan menggunakan pendekatan sejarah serta bergantung sepenuhnya kepada analisis dokumen. Selain itu, kertas kerja ini juga mengemukakan pandangan beberapa orang tokoh seperti Datuk Harris Salleh dan Toh Puan Hajjah Rahimah Stephens bagaimana galuran peristiwa boleh berlaku. Walau bagaimanapun, penulis bersetuju sangat dengan pandangan Datuk Mohd Harris Salleh and Toh Puan Hajjah Rahimah Stephens bahawa “kesilapan manusia” adalah punca utama nahas dalam tragedi “Double Six”.

KATA KUNCI: Tragedi double six, nahas, Ketua-ketua Menteri Sabah, kesilapan manusia, kerosakan teknikal, dan teori konspirasi.

About the Author: Dr. Hamdan Aziz is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Nationhood and Civilization Studies UMT (Malaysia University of Terengganu). He can be contacted via e-mail at: hamdan.aziz@umt.edu.my and naqiudin@yahoo.com

How to cite this article? Aziz, Hamdan. (2013). “Double Six Tragedy and Implications of Political Development in Sabah, Malaysia” in SOSIOHUMANIKA: Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, Vol.6, No.1 [Mei], pp.89-96. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI, ISSN 1979-0112.

Chronicle of article: Accepted (March 27, 2013); Revised (April 29, 2013); and Published (May 20, 2013).

Bongkos Malakun, Clarence D. (1981). “Political Maneuver in Sabah, 1975-1981” in Commemorative History of Sabah, 1881-1981. Kota Kinabalu: Kerajaan Negeri Sabah.

Campbel, Bill. (1986). Sabah under Harris. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Warisan.

File “Courtesy of Sabah State Archives”. Unpublished Resources. Kota Kinabalu: State Archive of Sabah (Malaysia).

File “Double Six, 6/6/1976”. Unpublished Resources. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah State Archives or ANS (Arkib Negeri Sabah).

Granville-Edge, P.J. (1999). The Sabahan: The Life and Death of Tun Fuad Stephens. Kota Kinabalu: Donsons Sdn Bhd.

Interview with Datuk Mohd Harris Salleh, former Chief Minister of Sabah, at Jalan SM Lok Yuk, Likas, Kota Kinabalu, on 28th February 2004.

Interview with Haji Wan Ahmad Wan Jaafar, at No.23, Lorong 12, Kg. Sembulan Baru, Kota Kinabalu, on 7th August 2001; and 22nd August 2003.

Interview with Halimah Abdullah, at No.16, Taman Sempelang, Kota Kinabalu, on 25th August 2003.

Interview with Toh Puan Hajjah Rahimah Stephens, Widow of Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens, at No.488, Jalan Saga, Kg Likas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, on 21st February 2004.

Kem Pen [Kementerian Penerangan] Malaysia. (1976). Malaysia Official Year Book. Kuala Lumpur: Kementerian Penerangan Malaysia.

Kinabalu Sabah Times [newspaper]. Kota Kianabalu: June 7, 1976.

Kinabalu Sabah Times [newspaper]. Kota Kianabalu: June 9, 1976.

Luping, Herman J. (1994). Sabah’s Dilemma: The Political History of Sabah, 1960-1994. Kuala Lumpur: Magnus Book.

News entitled “Statement Sabah State Legislative Assembly Election 1976” [Penyata Pilihan Raya Umum DUN Sabah 1976] in http://www.spr.gov.my/laporan/1976/sabah76.html [printed on 8 January 2004 dan accessed in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: 3 December 2012].

New Straits Times [newspaper]. Kuala Lumpur: June 10, 1976.

NSTP-RIS [News Strait Times Publisher — Research and Information Services]. (1990). Election in Malaysia: A Handbook of Facts and Figures on the Election, 1955-1986. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: News Strait Times Publisher.

Raffaelle, Paul. (1986). Harris Salleh of Sabah. Hong Kong: Condor Publishing.

Syed Ibrahim, Syed Abdullah. (1976). Tun Fuad: Kenangan Sepintas Lalu. Kota Kinabalu: Jabatan Ketua Menteri.

The Daily Express [newspaper]. Kota Kinabalu: 20th April 1976.

The Daily Express [newspaper]. Kota Kinabalu: 9th June 1976.

The Star [newspaper]. Kuala Lumpur: 7th June 1976.