The remains of Malaysian Everest climber Lieutenant Colonel Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) about 7.30am yesterday.
The body of the late Kedah Civil Defence Force director arrived on flight MH115, which departed Kathmandu at 11.30pm on Friday.
Awang Askandar's body was then flown to Kota Kinabalu, aboard flight MH2646 at 11.35am and arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 2.15 pm.
More than 70 Civil Defence Force personnel paid their last respects to Awang Askandar at the KLIA Cargo Complex. They recited the yasin and held a tahlil led by Associate Lieutenant Miszlee Samais. Present were Raja Muda Kedah Tengku Sarafuddin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin and his wife Che Puan Muda Zaheeda Mohamad Ariff.
Awang Askandar's remains were taken to his family home in Kampung Benoni, Papar, and funeral prayers were performed at the As-Salam Benoni Mosque. He was buried with full CDF honours beside his mother, Dayang Fatimah Awang Ampuan Jair, at the Kampung Benoni Muslim Cemetery. About 1,000 people, including relatives, CDF personnel and the public attended his funeral.
Awang Askandar, 56, was reported to have collapsed when he was just 20 minutes from the summit and was pronounced dead while being treated at Camp 4. Awang Askandar was with fellow climber Muhammad Hawari Hashim, 33.
The hearing-impaired Hawari was reported missing after reaching the summit, and the search is ongoing. --Bernama
