Manu explaining to members of the media on Sabah Air’s response to the Kudat plane crash, at a press conference in Sabah Air Aviation headquarters yesterday. A chronological event log on Sabah Air’s detailed course of action for the October 10 Kudat plane crash accident.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Air Aviation has expressed disappointment over Api-Api assemblywoman Christina Liew’s accusation towards the aviation company’s so-called failure to conduct a proper rescue course of action when handling the recent Kudat plane crash incident.
In a response to Liew who questioned why Sabah Air helicopters were not equipped to respond to nighttime emergencies during the incident which claimed two lives, Sabah Air chief executive officer Manu Sasidharan provided an explanation of Sabah Air’s course of action over the first few hours after the accident, complete with a detailed event log to clarify the matter.
“For the Api-Api assemblywoman to ridicule the company in such a manner as reported by two established mainstream media in Sabah is to ridicule some 130 men and women of Sabah Air Aviation.
“As explained in the event log, it is clear that the Sabah Air team performed like well-oiled machinery and its members were all working in unison with a very singular objective in mind, which was to carry out our responsibility to respond to the needs of the people during emergencies such as the tragedy on October 10.
“This was no ‘veggies or VIPs’ business and was an extremely complicated and knowledge intensive field which required a very high level of dedication and commitment.
“Hence, it is extremely low-minded and highly prejudiced to comment on such sad events before even checking the facts on the matter. It only shows a strong penchant for one-up-man-ship or jumping the gun before lighting the gun powder in the first place,” Manu said.
He added that there had been many such instances where Sabah Air had served the people over the years.
“However, we do not go to the media every time we do a good deed. As long as the directly affected parties were made aware, and if the shareholders understood, we at Sabah Air are satisfied with our results.
“Hence, to accuse us of only serving VIPs is not a very intelligent thing to say and, sadly, exposes a very hollow understanding in general.
“It would be advisable to be prudent next time and to think carefully and check on the facts before regurgitating statements fed by manipulative parties or individuals,” Manu said.
He also pointed out that the entire mission was conducted while utilising the complete resources Sabah Air had at its disposal at that point in time.
Through the event log, Manu showed to the media the course of action Sabah Air had taken during the fateful October 10 incident, which killed 23-year-old co-pilot Marc Joel Bansh, who was also the son of senior pilot Captain Harel Bansh Singh who has been with Sabah Air for almost 30 years.
He also explained that Sabah Air had waited until yesterday before conducting the press conference to give time for the late Marc Joel to be given a fitting final farewell.
During the press conference, Manu explained that one of the B206 B3 helicopters returned empty due to it being an aircraft that was not equipped for nighttime emergencies, and it should have been back in the Sabah Air hangar before the 6.24pm sunset deadline when aircraft unfit for night missions should return before or at the stipulated time.
He added that beyond the said time, Sabah Air had made the call to conduct a Mercy Flight, which was a mission Sabah Air decided to take on their own accord as their contract with the relevant client was only limited to daytime missions.
“It should be noted that this case was a Mercy Flight for Sabah Air, meaning it was no longer under the aegis of the Sabah State Health Department (JKNS) FDS/MEDEVAC Contract.
“We would also like to make it clear that the communication we had with JKNS, Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1 and Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2 during the crisis was excellent. However, the current FDS/MEDEVAC contract is limited to daytime operations due to operational restrictions based on the helicopters that are currently contracted for,” Manu said.
This, he said, explained why Sabah Air had been looking to enhance its services further and include nighttime operations in the future, including conducting Malaysia’s first HEMS (Helicopter Medical Emergency Service) Conference in Kota Kinabalu in April last year.
“However, HEMS is a critical operation whereby man and machine are on 24/7 standby. Such operations in the US and Europe had contributed to the highest number of accidents and fatalities every year due to extreme operational conditions.
“Therefore, instead of rushing into a HEMS contract, potential operators such as Sabah Air Aviation have been diligently working with customers such as the JKNS and Ministry of Health to put together the requirements and operational specifications in place first.
“Meanwhile, all such operations had been conducted under Day Light Operations to date,” Manu stressed.
He also urged Liew to conduct a studied approach before making such an accusation.
“Aviation is a serious business, so it would be worthwhile to check with your potential target before making such statements,” Manu advised.
In making his stand, Manu also slammed Sabah Air’s singular competitor for “similar cheap publicity and media coverage”.
“To our competitor, I urge you to focus on delivering a good job rather than playing gutter politics to gain a cheap advantage for potential upcoming contracts.
“The common perception amongst the public is that the private sector can deliver a better job than the public sector, but strangely, over the last few years, it is becoming highly evident that the public sector is doing a better job than the private sector, which explains why they resort to cheap punches such as this; trying to make a positive situation out of a tragedy for selfish benefits,” he said.