KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — Two Sarawakian MPs have told the federal government to provide the families of victims of the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crash additional compensation on top of ex-gratia payments.
Dr Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching) noted that the two families of the late assistant medical officer Alexson Adit Henry and staff nurse Jessie Paya Jok were still left in the dark about the amount and timeline of ex-gratia payments, nearly a month after the September 8 tragedy in Long Lellang, Miri.
“I call upon the government to provide additional compensation for all five victims’ families, exceeding ex-gratia payments, including education funding for their children until university level and monthly cost of living assistance for dependents who lost their breadwinner,” said Dr Yii during a debate in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday on a report tabled by the Health parliament special select committee on its working visit to health care facilities in Sabah.
“I hope that the minister will announce, as soon as possible, the amount and date for all five families, besides assigning a specific officer to each family to help them in their recovery.”
In interviews in their homes in Miri, Sarawak, last Friday, Alexson’s and Jessie’s families told CodeBlue that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has yet to inform them the amount or timeline for ex-gratia payments.
Alexson’s 30-year-old widow, Stephanie Essah Incham, is a homemaker with a daughter and son aged five and two respectively. Her late husband was the family’s sole breadwinner.
The two Miri families also called for additional financial compensation beyond ex-gratia because their loved ones had died in the line of duty. Alexson’s sister, Annastasia Luyah Henry, questioned the condition and age of the BO-105 helicopter operated by Layang Layang Aerospace Sdn Bhd on its doomed flight.
Dr Yii noted that the helicopter model was 35 years old, with its manufacturing ended in 2001. Initial investigations showed its engine on fire before the crash.
“A certificate of fitness to fly on paper means nothing if actual maintenance wasn’t done,” the DAP lawmaker told the House.
“I’m not questioning the integrity of investigations, but I won’t accept any effort to hide the truth. If maintenance was neglected or warnings ignored, this wasn’t an ordinary accident. It must be investigated by the police for potential criminal negligence, and those responsible must face legal action.”
The helicopter crash on an FDS mission killed all five people on board, including four MOH health care workers – Alexson, Jessie, staff nurse Debra Moset, and medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin – and pilot Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, who was employed by Layang Layang Aerospace.
Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) urged the federal government to provide compensation that at least matches the Sarawak state government’s RM100,000 contribution to each of the five victims’ families, if not exceed the amount.
“We’re still waiting for the federal government’s announcement on the ex-gratia payments,” the DAP lawmaker told Parliament during the debate.
He cited previous accidents of helicopters operated by Layang Layang Aerospace, such as one in 2022 that crashed in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, without any fatalities. The chopper was carrying a medical officer from Kelantan to Perak.
Earlier in 2015, another helicopter operated by the same company crashed in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, during a student’s pilot training.
“In light of these incidents, I feel that the government must conduct a thorough investigation,” said Chong. “I urge the government to take sterner action if there were elements of criminal negligence.”
He also questioned when the FDS service in Sarawak would resume, citing its necessity for health care delivery to remote communities.
The Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is only expected to release its preliminary report on the September 8 helicopter crash within 30 days at the earliest, while police investigations reportedly couldn’t identify the cause of the incident.
