SILKAIR M1 185 CRASH (Latest report)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Sin Boon Ann asked the Minister for Communications and Information Technology whether the authority will now review its requirements and pay closer attention to pilots in the light of the recent revelation by the investigators of the SilkAir MI 185 crash.

Mr Chuang Shaw Peng asked the Minister for Communications and Information Technology whether he will give a latest report on the details of the crash of SilkAir MI 185.

Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for Communications and Information Technology if he will tell the House what steps the Government and Singapore Airlines intend to take regarding the SilkAir accident.

The Minister for Communications and Information Technology (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong): Sir, may I have your permission to take the first three Questions together?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Sir, in accordance with international practice, the investigations into the crash of SilkAir Flight MI 185 are led by Indonesia, the state of occurrence of the crash. They are being conducted by a competent and independent team of professional air accident investigators. The investigators are from Indonesia, Singapore, the US and Australia. They have access to the best investigation facilities, laboratories and expertise in these countries. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission has been constituted according to well-established practices laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

In carrying out its investigation, this multi-national team is looking into all relevant aspects in a systematic and holistic manner. This includes investigating the human factor. In fact, a sub-group of the investigation team is specifically tasked with that responsibility. Members of this sub-group include pilots, psychologists, a psychiatrist, and a medical doctor. The investigation team has access to relevant information on human factors in Singapore as well as other countries.

In addition, the team has also been looking into the relevant operational procedures of SilkAir and will certainly report on any shortcomings.

Upon completion of its investigations, the investigation team will submit its final report to ICAO and concerned states. ICAO will study the recommendations and propose improvements where applicable. Singapore would certainly adopt any ICAO recommendation to enhance aviation safety.

Singapore Police Investigation

As the House is aware, the Indonesian Minister of Communications, Mr Giri Hadihardjono, informed me on 25th August 1999 that the team investigating the SilkAir Flight MI 185 accident has found indications raising suspicions that unlawful interference may have been a factor in the accident. Based on this suspicion, the Singapore Government has referred the matter to the Singapore Police. The Police is conducting a separate police investigation into the matter in consultation with the Public Prosecutor to ascertain if there is evidence of any criminal offence. I can assure Members that the Police will be thorough and professional and will also examine all the relevant details, including the financial records.

We should therefore await the findings of the Accident Investigation Team and the Police Investigation, especially since the Accident Investigation Team is now in the final stages of its investigations. There is no necessity to appoint another inquiry into the matter, and we should not complicate matters by doing so.

Aviation Standards and Procedures

Mr Sin Boon Ann has asked whether the authority will review its pilot requirements in the light of the recent findings. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore or CAAS ensures that our aviation regulations and operational procedures of our airlines conform fully to international norms stipulated by ICAO. As such, the CAAS continuously monitors and reviews the flight operations and engineering procedures of both SilkAir and SIA.

Both pilots of MI 185 satisfied the licensing requirements based on international norms stipulated by ICAO. CAAS has also looked into the three disciplinary cases involving the pilot, Captain Tsu Way Ming. CAAS is satisfied that the safety of the aircraft or persons on board was never compromised in each case, and that there was no reason for SilkAir to ground Captain Tsu.

Moreover, the interim update confirms that "both pilots were properly trained, licensed, and qualified to conduct the flight." In fact, the Airline Pilots Association of Singapore has issued a statement on 29th August 1999 to say that "In our professional opinion, these (3) incidents, when viewed singularly or collectively do not constitute operational or performance-related incompetence."

Our airlines also benchmark their standards against that of international airlines in leading aviation countries to ensure that they are in line with ICAO guidelines and international best practice. Nonetheless, we cannot be complacent. We will continue to review and upgrade our aviation standards and procedures as the best international practices evolve.

In conclusion, let me state that the Government fully appreciates the anguish of the next-of-kins and their anxiety to learn the cause of the MI 185 crash. While the investigation team has made further progress, it has yet to establish the cause of the accident. The team needs to carry out further work to analyse the facts and findings before it can conclude the investigation. The Government will continue to participate actively in the investigations and will extend our fullest co-operation to the investigation team.

Mr Chay Wai Chuen (Tanjong Pagar): Will the Minister be able to tell us whether there is any coroner's inquiry in Singapore on this matter?

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Sir, we have sought the advice of the Attorney-General and we have been advised that in this case, the coroner has no jurisdiction because under the Criminal Procedure Code, he can only inquire into the death of a person or the finding of a dead body in suspicious circumstances in Singapore and which is within the territorial jurisdiction of the coroner. In the present case, the death occurred in Palembang, Indonesia when the aircraft crashed into the River Musi. The remains of the passengers and crew were also buried there and therefore it is not possible for the coroner's inquiry to be conducted here.

Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam (Non-Constituency Member): Will the Minister be able to tell us when were the personal problems of the pilot, which have now been revealed, disclosed to the investigators?

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Sir, I understand the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission made enquiries shortly after the crash and all the information were given within a month of the crash.

Dr Lily Neo (Kreta Ayer-Tanglin): May I ask the Minister if there is a need for psycho-analytical assessments for pilots on a regular basis as part of their routine medical check-ups?

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Sir, I understand that the mental health of the pilots is also examined as part of their regular check-ups.