GEORGE TOWN: Full military honours were granted by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) at the burial of Commander Muhammad Firdaus Ramli, who died in an air crash yesterday.
A Jalur Gemilang, used to drape the coffin of the commanding officer of the navy's 503 Squadron, was handed over to his wife, Soffiyah Sa'adon.
About 10 RMN pallbearers carried the coffin from the Masjid Jamek Sungai Nibong Besar here to the burial plot next to the mosque.
Prayers and final military rites were performed before Firdaus was buried.
More than 1,000 people came to pay their last respects, some as early as 5pm.
Among them were state executive councillors Fahmi Zainol and Lim Siew Khim.
Also present were RMN chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ayob and 2nd Division commanding officer Major-General Datuk Azhan Md Othman.
Family members and friends could not contain their emotions and wept openly.
Earlier, Firdaus' coffin arrived at Masjid Jamek Sungai Nibong Besar at 7.41pm.
Firdaus was among the 10 individuals killed in a mid-air collision involving two helicopters at the RMN base in Lumut yesterday.
Earlier, the post-mortem examination of the 10 victims of the helicopter crash was completed at 2.20pm.
The bodies of Muslim victims were then taken to the 23rd Battalion Regiment of the Royal Malay Regiment, Ipoh for funeral prayers.
The body of the late Lieutenant T. Sivasutan was taken home to his family residence in Sitiawan, Perak before burial tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the body of Chief Petty Officer Joanna Felicia was taken home to Serian, Sarawak on a C-130 aircraft belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
