Its Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the ministry would first obtain reports and feedback from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and other relevant parties before determining the next course of action.

He said the matter would be examined professionally, taking into account international aviation safety regulations.

“Indeed, after this, we will obtain reports from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia and the relevant parties.

“We need to study the matter first. We also need to obtain reports and feedback from all the relevant parties,” he told reporters after meeting the victims’ families at Jinhold Hotel and Serviced Apartment here on Saturday (Sept 12).

He added that the ministry must also comply with regulations set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which governs international aviation safety standards.

Asked why the helicopter was allowed to operate despite the hazy conditions, Lee advised against politicising the incident.

He said all aircraft operating in the country must comply with established procedures and obtain clearance from air traffic control.

“Every aircraft, when it wants to fly, must obtain clearance from the control tower or air traffic control. There are regulations governing this,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lee stressed that the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) remained important in Sarawak, particularly for people living in rural and remote areas with limited access to healthcare facilities.

He said FDS had been operating for many years and remained a necessity for communities in remote areas, where access to medical services could be challenging without such air services.

“Therefore, any review of safety aspects must take into account the importance of this service to people in rural and remote areas, while ensuring that operational safety standards are maintained at the highest level,” he said.

In a related development, Lee urged the public not to speculate on the cause of the crash and to leave the matter to the relevant authorities and experts to investigate.

“CAAM and other authorities with the relevant expertise should be given the space to conduct the investigation in accordance with the regulations and aviation procedures,” he said.

He stressed that any conclusion on the cause of the crash should be based on the findings of the official investigation and not on assumptions or unverified comments.

Lee said the relevant government agencies were doing their best to ensure the recovery of the victims and that subsequent arrangements were carried out as quickly as possible and with due respect.

At around 3.40pm on Sept 8, a Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crashed at the Long Lellang STOLport, killing all onboard.

The five victims were pilot Capt Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 30; medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, 33; assistant medical officer Alexson Adit Henry, 31; as well as staff nurses Debra Moset, 40, and Jessie Paya Jok, 44.

Their remains are expected to be released later Saturday following the completion of the DNA identification process on Saturday morning.

Credits: Jenifer Laeng, The Borneo Post 2026