PAPAR – Malaysia Everest 2023 climber Lt Col Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub was laid to rest at the Kg Benoni Muslim Cemetery at 5.20pm today.
The body of the Kedah Civil Defence Force (MCDF) director had earlier arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at about 2.15pm after it was flown out of Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 11.35am via flight MH2646.
After a brief prayer recital, some 10 Sabah MCDF personnel carried the coffin bearing his remains in procession from the cargo area to the hearse.
Those present to pay their last respects were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Muhammad Alamin, MCDF chief commissioner Aminurrahim Mohamed and the deceased’s brother, Awang Asim Ampuan Yaacub.
The remains were brought to Awang Askandar’s family residence at Kg Benoni, Papar from the airport before arriving at the Jamek As Salam mosque for the final bath and shrouding.
The funeral prayer was performed by the mosque’s imam, Salam Hamdani Omar, before the burial took place with full MCDF honours at 4.38pm.
Awang Askandar, 56, reportedly fell when making the final ascent at 8,000m and was pronounced dead while being treated at Camp Four of the tallest peak in the world. – Bernama, May 27, 2023
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