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Monument Double Six, Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

In the tragedy which occurs at 3:50pm, Jun 6, 1976, Sabah Air aircraft, Nomad, an Australia made aircraft was fell into the sea on the beach of Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu, and claimed the life of Sabah’s first and fifth Chief Minister Tun Muhammad Fuad Donald Stephens.

The crash site now turned into rendezvous place complete with public facilities

Beautiful architecture design of food courts

Stephens, from Papar and Tambunan, who is also known as Hoguan Siou (Great Leader) of Kadazan-Dusun, the largest tribe in Sabah Bumiputera, is the Father Independence of Sabah.

Stephens has become the first Chief Minister of Sabah from 1963 to 1964, when it, he is leading the United National Kadazan Organization (UNKO). In 1973 to 1975, he has become the third Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah. Stephens is the first Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah of the Kadazan-Dusun tribe. Then, once again elected as fifth Chief Minister of Sabah in 1976 and was only held that position for 44 days before died in the tragedy.

Interior of public facilities area

Exterior of the public facilities place

Those died in the tragic tragedy were:

Minister of Local Government Sabah Datuk Peter Mojuntin
Minister of Transport and Public Works Sabah Datuk Chong Thian Vun
Finance Minister of Sabah Datuk Salleh Sulong
Assistant Minister to Deputy Chief Minister, Darius Binion
Secretary to Finance Ministry of Sabah Wahid Peter Andu
Permanent Secretary of Sabah Economic Planning Unit Syed Hussein Wafa
Private Secretary to Petronas former President and former Finance Minister of Malaysia Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Encik Ishak Atan
Bodyguard to Stephens, Corporal Mohamad Said
Aircraft’s Pilot, Captain Gandhi J. Nathan, and
Stephens foster son, Johari John Stephens.

Outside of public facilities area also have small fountain and pleasant landscape

Another evening view at Monument Double Six

The 6-seater aircraft crashed near the Kampung Air Sembulan the adjacent to State Mosque of Sabah and Kota Kinabalu Airport, located 2 km from the crash site. Kampung Air Sembulan now has been developed into modern housing.

The rescue teams comprise of Police, Army and Fire Units, only found the corpses of the passengers except Mojuntin whom only suffered injury at the back of his head .

At that time, leaders of Sabah were welcome Tengku Razaleigh’s official visit to Sabah. The visit began in Labuan. In the fated evening at 3.30pm, two Sabah Air aircrafts have been flown entourage Razaleigh and Stephens from Labuan and returning to Kota Kinabalu.

Monument area not only provided with food courts and facilities but well manicured landscape

The crash site and its surroundsing now have been developed into residential area

In the early morning before the incident, Stephens was attended to the walk competition in Kota Kinabalu. Stephen then catched on the 10am plane to Labuan.

Razaleigh and Kitingan scheduled to fly in the same aircraft with Stephens but Stephens has decided Kitingan to swap with Mojuntion whom escort of Harris in the second plane. Harris has flown together with Kitingan and Razaleigh in the second plane, with the approval Stephens.

Stephens was buried at the Warrior Mausoleum in The State Mosque of Sabah. Stephens was the first Chief Minister and Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah buried in the Mosque’s Warrior Mausoleum.

Monument Double Six was erected in the rememberance of Tun Stephens and others whom died in the aeroplane crash.  Another unfold  history of tragedy.

In 1976, the then Chief Minister of Sabah, Harris Salleh has directed the erection of Monument Double Six at the crashed site.

Monument Double Six located at Sembulan, approximately 10 minutes from Kota Kinabalu city. Across the road is Sutera Harbour resort; one of the luxurious sea view resort in Kota Kinabalu.

How To Go There.
Taxi fare from the city of Kota Kinabalu is RM15 (single journey). You can also get bus number 17B (which is written route to Putatan) from bus station at Plaza Wawasan which cost you RM1.50 (single journey).

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