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COMMENT | With election mode in full gear, many are caught up with the excitement of the dissolution of Parliament, who the candidates are who will defending their seats and who will be dropped, the fresh faces that will emerge, the old guard who will be making way, and the dirt that is going to be thrown during what is expected to be the most volatile election campaign.

While candidates are being driven, ferried, flown and sailed from one area to another, this is a good reminder that those in charge of their welfare and safety to ensure they arrive at their destinations in one piece and are able to serve their constituents if they eventually win.

With this in mind, one’s thoughts are on candidates in East Malaysia, particularly Sarawak, who need the use of aircraft to get to their voters due to the vastness and the unforgiving terrain of this huge state.

However, Hornbill Skyways, Sarawak’s premier state-owned aviation company, has had an unfortunate reputation when it comes to safety records.

Not that there have not been fatal air crashes involving other aviation companies in other states – state-owned Sabah Air has had its share of incidents, such as the 1976 chopper crash that killed 11 people including chief minister Fuad Stephens and several of his cabinet members.

More recently in 2011, a Sabah Air chopper crashed, albeit after safely transporting then deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to a function in Sibu. Unfortunately, the pilot succumbed to his injuries.

Hornbill Skyways though still holds the record for more fatal air crashes – a total of 12 crashes since 1982 that took the lives of 25 people, including politicians and government servants. Of these incidents, the causes of three are still unknown – in 1982, 2004 and 2005, all involving Bell choppers....

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