KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 – The Rural and Regional Development Ministry has been making meticulous preparations in coordinating the sending of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 crash victims for burial in their respective hometowns.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the preparations included getting ready the transport vehicles and attending to other needs to ensure a smooth process after the official ceremony to receive the remains of the victims, scheduled for Aug 22 at the Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Sepang.
“We have discussed this with the representatives of the state governments concerned. After the official ceremony, the remains of some of the victims will be flown on a Charlie helicopter to Kuching and Bintulu, while a Nuri will fly the remains of other victims to Teluk Intan in Perak and Pagoh in Johor.
“In the Klang Valley, we have arranged for the remains to be sent for burial at the Mont Kiara and Ampang Muslim cemeteries. We have prepared our best and we hope everything will go on smoothly,” he said after attending a Hari Raya function hosted by Risda, here, today.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced Aug 22 as a day of national mourning in conjunction with the arrival of the remains of 16 MH17 crash victims, including that of a non-Malaysian citizen.Nine of the victims were non-Muslims.
On the briefing for the victims’ families on the official ceremony at KLIA,Shafie said this was handled by the Women, Family and Community Development”Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), (the minister concerned) Datuk Rohani (Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim) has been in close contact with the victims’ next of kin and explained to them the need for the official ceremony to honour the victims…they have accepted it with an open heart,” he said.
At today’s Raya do, Risda also handed over a contribution of RM44,710 to a representative of Aman Palestin to assist the Palestinians in Gaza who are suffering from Israeli attacks on the enclave.
Risda also contributed a van as hearse to the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
– BERNAMA
