Monday declared day of mourning for Sabah out of respect for victims and families

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Musa (second left) speaking to the media in the presence of (from left) Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Ewon Ebin.

Musa (second left) speaking to the media in the presence of (from left) Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Ewon Ebin.

KUNDASANG, RANAU:  As a sign of respect and concern for the victims and their families, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman declared Monday a day of mourning.

He added that the National Kaamatan Open House to be held today (June 7) would also be cancelled.

“I have to cut short my overseas investment trip after I heard that the disaster struck here and that it has claimed a number of lives including that of foreign tourists.

“With my heavy heart, I would like to extend my condolences to the victims and their families,” Musa told a packed press conference at the Kinabalu Park here today.

He stressed that the government’s priority was to locate the missing victims. Musa also thanked the search and rescue team for their efforts in continuing to locate the missing individuals.

After Musa, Ranau OCPD DSP Farhan Lee Abdullah gave another press conference disclosing that two more bodies had been brought to the hospital by helicopter and another two were being brought down on foot.

He said the search and rescue efforts would continue unless the weather turned unfavourable.

Three helicopters had been deployed to ferry the victims.

Meanwhile, Director/CEO of Sabah Parks Board of Trustees Dr Jamili Nais said the mountain park would be closed for three weeks following the Friday earthquake.

He also said that those who had made prior reservations to climb the mountain would be refunded accordingly.