PAPAR: Malaysia Everest 2023 (ME2023) climber Lt Col Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub was laid to rest at the Kampung Benoni Muslim Cemetery at 5.20 pm today.
The body of the Kedah Malaysian Civil Defence Force (MCDF) director had earlier arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) at about 2.15 pm after it was flown out of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 11.35 am 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 Kampung 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 4.38 pm.
Awang Askandar, 56, was reported to have fallen when making the final ascent at 8,000m and was pronounced dead while being treated at Camp 4 of the tallest peak in the world.-Bernama
