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PAIRIN also spoke about the time he was with Fuad’s party the day before the June 6, 1976 Nomad air crash at Sembulan that claimed the Chief Minister’s life along with 10 others in his delegation. 

“I had been helping to manage arrangements connected to a visit by Tengku Razaleigh (in Labuan). Fuad and the group departed for Sabah that afternoon and I was supposed to join them but stayed behind due to a gotong-royong programme scheduled for the following day.

“What can I say, that was my fate. But theirs was the sacrifice,” he said. Altogether 11 people were killed, including half the newly appointed Sabah ministers – Datuk Peter Mojuntin, Datuk Salleh Sulong, Datuk Chong Tain Vun and Datuk Darius Binion.