SEPANG: AS several hundred people waited at Bunga Raya Complex yesterday, the air hung heavy with sadness.
It was a mood aptly reflected by the dark clouds rolling overhead and the light showers that fell to ground.
They were there to receive the remains of nine more victims of the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, two of whom were non-Malaysian citizens following their Malaysian wives on one final journey.
But there was another difference this time as well, and one which had those present choked up: it was the first time the nation had
received the remains of a child, that of 2-year-old Kaelamayajay Goes.
The small casket containing her remains were carried out of the belly of MAS flight MH19 together with that of her father, Paul, at 8.47am. Her casket was draped in the Jalur Gemilang, a familiar sight by now, while Paul’s was covered in the flag of the Netherlands.
The remains of Kaelamayajay’s mother, Subashni Jretnam, were also on the flight, the family having made their journey together, landing at KLIA more than a month late.
Fan Shun Po was another Dutch national whose remains came back with his Malaysian wife, Loh Yan Hwa.
The urn containing the former’s ashes was also draped in the Netherlands flag, while Loh’s urn was draped in Jalur Gemilang.
Royal Malaysian Air Force EC725 helicopters flew their remains and that of MH17 first officer Muhd Firdaus Abdul Rahim to Penang and Teluk Intan, respectively.
MH17 pilots Captain Wan Amran Wan Hussin’s casket and Captain Eugene Choo Jin Leong's urn were taken to Shah Alam and Seremban, respectively, in hearses.
Flight steward Sanjid Singh Sandhu's remains were first taken to his home in Taman Skyline, Kuala Lumpur, before being flown to his parents’ home in Bukit Mertajam. His ashes are scheduled to be scattered at sea today.
All five caskets and four urns were received by military pallbearers in full ceremonial attire.
They slowly marched the remains to the waiting white hearses, as family members, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor as well as other dignitaries looked on.
A minute of silence was called at 8.58am as a mark of respect, as those present were exhorted to pray for those whose lives were lost.
A total of 350 armed forces members took part in the ceremony honouring the victims with full military honours.
Outside the complex, many people turned up to pay their last respects despite the rain.
Among them was 46-year-old Lau Ai Lian, who at first refused several times to be interviewed.
During the minute of silence at the complex grounds, Lau was seen weeping uncontrollably and had her palms clasped together as she recited a silent prayer for the victims of the tragedy.
At about 9am,when the hearses were slowly leaving the complex, led by police motorcycle outriders, Lau sobbed harder and her husband, Jimmy Ang, 56, had to console her.
When she finally relented to an interview, Lau told the New Straits Times it was the third time she had traveled here to pay her last respects.
“All I wanted to do was to say a little prayer for the departed, regardless of their race and religion.”
Lau said when the tragedy struck, she had several sleepless nights and was constantly checking news portals for updates on when all the Malaysian victims, especially the pilots of MH17, would be flown home. Additional reporting by Zafira Anwar, Balqis Nasir, Koi Kye Lee, Azim Idris, Sarah Rahim and Audrey Dermawan