Remains of 13th RMN chief buried

KUALA LUMPUR: The remains of former Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Admiral (B) Tan Sri Ilyas Din were buried at the Raudhatul Sakinah Islamic Cemetery, Selayang here at 10am today.
The late Ilyas, 67, died at his residence in Kampung Datuk Keramat here at 10.10pm last night due to a heart attack and kidney complications.
His body received its final ablution and prayer at the Khalid Al Walid Mosque at 7am before being taken to the cemetery accompanied by his family and RMN personnel.
RMN commander Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said more than 70 family members and RMN personnel attended the funeral.
"The remains were managed by RMN guard, escort and bearer teams and family members," he said when met by Bernama here today.
He said the funeral was carried out in accordance with the funeral ceremony for senior RMN officers and was also witnessed by RMN veterans.
Meanwhile, his daughter, and second child, Nurartikah, 35, said her father was a very strict but loving person.
"He always supported his three children and constantly reminded us to always be humble.
"He also prioritised the family despite being busy working. My late father had a deep interest in the military since he was a teenager," she said.
She said the late Ilyas was admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for nine days after a heart attack due to kidney complications and received dialysis treatment before being taken home yesterday.
The late Ilyas left a wife, Puan Sri Meryam Harun and also two other children, namely, Mohd Azrai and Nurameera.
Ilyas, who was appointed as the RMN chief on April 28, 2005, began his career after being commissioned as an RMN officer on Jan 1, 1972 holding the rank of Second Lieutenant and retiring in 2006.
Throughout his career, he was also called the "RMN Father of Quality" for being the driving force in the RMN obtaining the MS ISO 9001: 2000 certification in 2003. — Bernama