PUTRAJAYA: The presence of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 First Officer Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi’s nine-month-old son proved to be unbearable for those who attended his funeral at the Muslim cemetery in Presint 20, here yesterday.
Many were seen sobbing profusely and wiping away tears at the sight of the young Abderrahman, in the arms of his mother, Asmaa Aljuned, looking blankly at his 29-year-old father’s coffin being lowered into the ground and later buried.
Abderrahman was too young to understand what was happening.
The burial was also attended by more than 50 MAS pilots and crew members, some in uniform, who brought with them flowers. They were later seen planting kisses on Abderrahman’s head.
A minor commotion, however, broke out over Ahmad Hakimi’s burial when a pilot, who came with dozens of his colleagues, insisted that the burial be postponed,
pending the arrival of other mourners.
Ahmad Hakimi’s remains were buried about 3pm yester-
day alongside stewardess Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh, 31, over
a month after their Kuala
Lumpur-bound aircraft was allegedly shot down in Grobovo, Ukraine.
Nur Shazana’s body was first to be buried at the cemetery before Friday prayers, followed by Ahmad Hakimi.
Many came early in the morning, teary-eyed and waited until the burial ended at 4pm.
Earlier, a solat jenazah (final prayer rites) was performed for the duo at Putra mosque in Presint 2 after the coffins arrived from the Bunga Raya Complex in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The prayer, attended by some 1,000 relatives and mourners, was led by Federal Territories mufti Dr Zulkifly Muhammad Al-Bakri.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah also attended Friday prayers at the mosque followed by solat jenazah ghaib, and tahlil (prayers for
the dead) for all the MH17 crash victims.
The Friday prayers and solat jenazah ghaib, led by the National Mosque grand imam Tan Sri Syaikh Ismail Muhammad, were also attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, several cabinet ministers and over 5,000 people.
Ahmad Hakimi’s friend First Officer Hasnizam Ahmad said the deceased had touched so many hearts when he was alive and they were there to honour him.
“He was a nice man. You can ask anyone, even the cabin crew members remember him.”
After the burial was completed, Ahmad Hakimi’s father, Hanapi Mohd Noor, 67, took to the microphone and expressed his gratitude to the government and his son’s colleagues and friends.
“We are sad over the loss. We accept the reality with an open heart because we have faith in Allah’s divine promise.
“We had chosen Putrajaya as his resting place in hope that the family members, especially his wife
and son, would be able to visit his grave often as it is nearer to our homes.”
It is learnt that Ahmad Hakimi had recently purchased a house in Cyberjaya.
Earlier, the family of Nur Shazana were barely able to hold their composure after the final tahlil recital was completed.
“Her whole life had been about her career in MAS and she loved flying and travelling. As this place is the nearest to her workplace, I know that she would want to be buried here if given the choice,” said Nur Shazana’s mother, Sharom Ibrahim, 57.
“It is hard for the family to accept that her life must end this way, but we are content knowing that she was honoured by the government and the whole country while doing what she loved.”
Nur Shazana’s father, Mohamad Salleh Samsuddin, 54, said the family would consider moving to Kuala Lumpur from Penang in the near future as they would want to be close to Nur Shazana.
Flight stewardess Nilda Azreen said she was relieved that Nurshazana was on the first batch of those who were brought home.
“We had waited for her to be brought home long enough and I
am glad that she received proper burial.”