SUNGAI PETANI: In a heart-wrenching farewell, the family and colleagues of 30-year-old Lance Corporal Mohd Hafiz Haris bid their final goodbye as he was laid to rest early today.
He, along with two fellow soldiers, lost their lives in a tragic accident on the Plus Expressway near Gurun on Friday.
The second child of four, Mohd Hafiz, was accorded a full military funeral at the Masjid Al-Wajdi Muslim Cemetery in Bukit Selambau after midnight.
The van carrying his body arrived at his home, situated in front of the mosque, around 11.30pm, following its release from the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital's forensic unit.
Family members had approximately 30 minutes to pay their last respects before the body was taken to the mosque for funeral prayers led by the bilal, Osman Yaacob. The national flag-draped coffin was then transported to the cemetery by soldiers in white ceremonial uniform.
The flag was later handed over to Army's 30 Brigade commander Brigadier General Datuk Mohd Zaini Hashim for presentation to the grieving family.
Over 200 family members, friends and colleagues gathered at the cemetery as the body was laid to rest at about 12.30am.
His distraught parents and siblings were overcome with grief throughout the funeral which ended at about 12.50am.
Hafiz is survived by a wife Nur Hasni Ishak, 32. The couple had been married for three years.
He was among the three soldiers killed in a 10.30am crash at Km77.5 of the Plus Expressway after they were rammed by a courier lorry while inspecting a broken-down truck.
He and two other victims, Sergeant Rozali Abdull Rani, 39, and Corporal Mohd Asri Idris, 40, from the Pengkalan Hulu Border Regiment were travelling in a convoy of three trucks.
They were heading to Bukit Cowder Camp in Kangar, Perlis to fetch soldiers who participated in the Satria Gagah Exercise when the incident happened.
All three victims died at the scene while the lorry driver who suffered serious injuries, was rushed to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital.
Rozali's remains were taken back to Besut, Terengganu while Asri's body was transported back to Jeli, Kelantan for funeral arrangement early today.