Haven't we forgotten something?

[H Azmal 0]

28 years ago on December 4th...

 

Malaysian Airline System Flight MH653 (Now with photos of the memorial and common grave in JHB - note the single Japanese name)

Edited December 9, 2005 by H Azmal

[S V Choong 4]

Too young to remember, Azmal.

 

Captain G K Ganjoor, an Indian citizen!

 

Mostly Malaysian citizen were killed on board along side with quite a few Australian and British.

[Delwin A 0]

1977, that was 10 years before I was born.

 

Sadly 100 people were killed in that crash

 

 

[H Azmal 0]

 

Taken from http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayp...0&vnr=1&kind=PC

[Hisham Albakri 0]

I still remember this tragedy. I just finished my Standard 6 then, and my dad was supposed to bring the family to Singapore for a holiday about a week or so after the crash. The son of one of the deceased actually joined me in my school as a 1st Former 2 years later in 1979 when I was in Form 2. Although those in my batch knew that this individual's dad passed away during the crash, nobody had the heart to actually discuss this with him. I do bump into this guy once in a while (the latest being 2 weeks ago) but definitely no reminders whatsoever at all of this particular tragedy. A truly sad day, Al-fatihah!

[Saiful Bahari 0]

wasn't born yet at the time (my parent married on that year, I born 2 year later)..but read about it back in 1987 (darjah 2) about MAS most tragic tragedy 10 years in memory...our minister of Agriculture on that time also onboard right?

Edited December 10, 2005 by Saiful Bahari

[Attan 0]

Can't remember the flt no. but it was captained by Ganjoor, an Indian expatriate who used to eat "sirih" in the cockpit. Both flight crew were apparently shot dead in flight by an unknown person or persons. No detailed report was made public. The aircraft went down at Tanjong Kupang in Johor. I lost 3 friends in that flight.

[H Azmal 0]

wasn't born yet at the time (my parent married on that year, I born 2 year later)..but read about it back in 1987 (darjah 2) about MAS most tragic tragedy 10 years in memory...our minister of Agriculture on that time also onboard right?

19664[/snapback]

 

Yes, DAto' Ali Haji Ahmad. There were a few other important figures too onboard.

[S V Choong 4]

note the single Japanese name

 

Tomio Goto, he shouldn't be on the list amongst the "mangsa-mangsa" (victims).

[Sing Yew 1]

Tomio Goto, he shouldn't be on the list amongst the "mangsa-mangsa" (victims).

19707[/snapback]

 

Why ?

[Hisham Albakri 0]

Why ?

19708[/snapback]

 

Apparently the alleged suspect behind the alleged hijacking was the Japanese Red Army. There's a Japanese passenger onboard ... so put one and one together to equal two lah

 

[Norman 1]

Apparently the alleged suspect behind the alleged hijacking was the Japanese Red Army. There's a Japanese passenger onboard ... so put one and one together to equal two lah 

19709[/snapback]

 

The "official" version... guess the real story also buried deep in Tg Kupang

 

 

[H Azmal 0]

The "official" version... guess the real story also buried deep in Tg Kupang

19839[/snapback]

 

The Jamaluddin Ma'aris version? Ceritalah sikit Uncle Norman

 

I tend to believe the official version because some overseas investigators were invovled - I had the chance to communicate with one of them (Australian) via email last year. BUt would be interesting to hear what other stories/theories are behind this forgotten national tragedy.

Edited December 12, 2005 by H Azmal

[H Azmal 0]

http://www.nst.com.my/Weekly/Travel/articl...icle/index_html

 

In memory of Flight MH653

JALAN Kebun Teh is a familiar and busy road in Johor Baru. Bordered by residential areas and an established school, SJKC Foon Yew 1, this section of the road is often jam-packed with children after school hours.

JALAN Kebun Teh is a familiar and busy road in Johor Baru. Bordered by residential areas and an established school, SJKC Foon Yew 1, this section of the road is often jam-packed with children after school hours.

 

On a grassy knoll tucked between SJKC Foon Yew 1 and Taman Majidee stands a monument within a quiet alcove. Tall pine trees stand in silent sentinel, befitting the final resting place for the remains of the 100 people who perished in the Malaysia Airlines MH653 on Dec 4, 1977.

 

When Flight MH653 took off from Penang that fateful day, 93 passengers and seven crew members were on board the 737 aircraft. Investigators later determined that the flight was hijacked en route to Kuala Lumpur and that both pilots must have been shot.

 

Witnesses saw the aircraft descend from an altitude of 7,000 metres to a few hundred metres before leveling off. The aircraft then plunged into a swamp in Tanjong Kupang, 48km southwest of Johor Baru.

 

The name lists of the deceased from various nationalities are engraved on stone tablets at the rear of the main monument. Every year on the anniversary of the disaster, friends and family members gather for a memorial at this monument.

 

 

[Ibrahim 0]

Ya... Ceritakan lah Mr.Norman.. Went I Was Born MAS A Ready Change Their Livery..

[Hisham Albakri 0]

http://www.nst.com.my/Weekly/Travel/articl...icle/index_html

19849[/snapback]

 

Excuse my ignorance guys I'm not all that familiar with the geography of JB, but isn't JB the southern most town in Peninsular Malaysia? The attached NST article stated that Tanjong Kupang was sitiuated 48km southwest of JB ... so is Tanjong Kupang a piece of land that belongs to Malaysia/Johor but somehow or rather situated in Singapore (like our KTM land in Singapore)?!? Error right?!?

[H Azmal 0]

Excuse my ignorance guys    I'm not all that familiar with the geography of JB, but isn't JB the southern most town in Peninsular Malaysia? The attached NST article stated that Tanjong Kupang was sitiuated 48km southwest of JB ... so is Tanjong Kupang a piece of land that belongs to Malaysia/Johor but somehow or rather situated in Singapore (like our KTM land in Singapore)?!?  Error right?!? 

19939[/snapback]

 

Not really, Southernmost point would be near Kukup, South West of Johor Bahru.

[Hisham Albakri 0]

Not really, Southernmost point would be near Kukup, South West of Johor Bahru.

19947[/snapback]

 

So I take it that the NST article was accurate! Kukup must be close to Tanjung Kupang then!

 

[H Azmal 0]

So I take it that the NST article was accurate! Kukup must be close to Tanjung Kupang then!

19968[/snapback]

 

To give you a better perspective, Tanjung Pelepas (the port) is next to Tanjung Kupang. Kukup is on another peninsula which juts further south.

 

Edited December 13, 2005 by H Azmal

[Hisham Albakri 0]

To give you a better perspective, Tanjung Pelepas (the port) is next to Tanjung Kupang. Kukup is on another peninsula which juts further south.

 

19974[/snapback]

 

Oh ... ok ... thanx for educating me bro

[Jessnor Arif 1]

Surprisingly MH653 still exists doing flight PEN-SIN..

 

I thought MH has reserved this number exclusively for this tragedy.....

[Teoh Z Yao 0]

Surprisingly MH653 still exists doing flight PEN-SIN..

 

It does?? Anyone flown on the flight before?

 

 

 

I've heard this incident many times. But it never sounded so tragic than this time I read about it...

 

Condolence to the victims and their families/friends!

[H Azmal 0]

For those who have not already come across these:

 

http://redxone.net/tragedi-pesawat-mas-mh-653-terhempas-di-johor-4-disember-1977-bahagian-1/

http://redxone.net/tragedi-pesawat-mas-mh-653-terhempas-di-johor-4-disember-1977-bahagian-2/

http://redxone.net/tragedi-pesawat-mas-mh-653-terhempas-di-johor-4-disember-1977-bahagian-3/

[Ian Parker 0]

Want another side to the story? Dunno if true or not. Got it from an retired government official who was often flying in and out of KL on government business. The plane went down not because of a traditional hijacking but a case of air rage. The hijacker was actually the bodyguard of the Minister of Agriculture. He got into a very serious argument with the captain of the flight who refused to take off unless the bodyguard handed in his pistol he carried to the captain as it was against the rules for the bodyguard to carry the pistol while on board the plane. The bodyguard refused and a serious argument ensured ending nearly into a fight. Eventually the bodyguard was forced to give up his gun to the safe keeping of the captain by ground officials and the plane took off. During the flight the bodyguard got up from the seat and made his way to the cockpit to recover his gun and honor. What exactly happened next is not really known. But the blame was put on the Japanese Red Army to cover for the real reason which would be very embarrassing for the government.

 

Just what an old gentleman told me many years ago.

[H Azmal 0]

Something to that effect was raised in parliament barely a year after the crash:

 

http://www.parlimen.gov.my/hindex/pdf/DR27101978.pdf

 

PAGE 18:

 

Tuan P. Patto: Soalan tambahan, Tuan Speaker. Bolehkah Yang Berhormat Menteri berkenaan memberitahu sama ada benar Pilot kapalterbang Boeing 737 MH 653 iaitu Kapten Ganjor pernah bertelingkah dengan bodyguard Allahyarham Yang Berhormat Menteri daripada Kabinet Kerajaan oleh kerana bodyguard tersebut enggan menyerah-kan senjatapi beliau kepada Pilot dan ber-ikutan dengan itu sama ada benar bahawa satu circular telah dikeluarkan oleh MAS menyatakan bahawa VIP dan bodyguardnya dibenar membawa senjatapi dalam kapal-terbang tanpa menyerah senjatapi itu kepada Pilot dan sama ada pada hari tersebut iaitu 4hb Disemiber, 1977 bodyguard Menteri yang berkenaan membawa senjatapi bersama-samanya tanpa menyerahkannya kepada Pilot, Kapten Ganjor.

 

There are a few other after-the-fact disputes too in that Penyata Parlimen.