SEPANG: The remains of Syzlin Hataman, the convicted Malaysian drug mule who died in Peru last week, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 2.30pm today.
She will be laid to rest at the Kebun Teh Muslim cemetery in her hometown of Johor Bahru at 9pm tonight.
Her family was represented by a neighbour and member of the Johor Bahru Umno Welfare Bureau (BiKUM).
The "solat jenazah" (final prayers for the deceased) will be performed at the Masjid Kampung Melayu Majidee in Larkin, Johor Baru.
BiKUM operational secretary, Awie Shoubli Jamal said Syzlin's remains underwent a two-hour documentation process upon arrival at the KLIA Cargo Village.
He declined to comment on the cost of flying the remains home, which was sponsored by BiKUM.
Pressmen who waited outside the cargo complex were allowed to catch a glimpse of Syzlin's wooden coffin as the hearse ferrying it to Johor Bahru made its exit from the customs checkpoint.
"We had to wait for two hours to get clearance as there were three bodies flown in today," said Awie.
"Alhamdulillah (Thank God), the process of repatriating Syzlin's remains from Peru was smooth and we managed to get it done in a week instead of two weeks as per the normal procedures set by the Peruvian government."
Syzlin had been convicted and jailed in Peru but died in a hospital there on Saturday at 6.50pm local time.
It was her last wish that her remains could be repatriated back to Malaysia and for her to be buried in her hometown.
"We were in the middle of making arrangements for Syzlin to return home (alive) this November and to be reunited with her family. But her health took a turn for the worse upon hearing of the death of her close family members," explained Awie.
It is understood that Syzlin was left stranded in Peru for almost eight years after being duped by her African lover to migrate and work in Peru without knowing that he was actually a member of a drug-trafficking syndicate, and that he was using her as a drug mule.
She had been serving time at a Peruvian correctional facility and was later granted the "Semi Libertad (half-free)" status on July 25, 2014 by the Peruvian Court, which allowed an offender to serve the sentence outside a prison as decided by the local authorities.
Awie said BiKUM is in the process of bringing back two other Malaysian drug mules convicted in Peru who had fallen victim to an international drug syndicate.
BiKUM will also embark on a series of awareness campaigns nationwide to educate the public on the dangers of being a drug mule.