Algeria hostage crisis victim to be cremated

The remains of Chong Chung Ngen, one of the two Malaysians killed during the hostage crisis in Algeria recently, would be cremated at the Kok Lek Seah Crematorium in Bercham on Wednesday.

Michael Chong, 52, the brother of the late Chong, 55, said family members would come together for a candlelight vigil throughout the night before proceeding to the St Michael Church in Jalan Gereja for a funeral mass at 2.30pm tomorrow.

"The remains of Chong arrived here at about 5am after leaving the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang at about 2pm. His wife and children were here when the body arrived," he said when met at the St Michael Church here today.

His remains were placed at a hall in the church for family members and friends to pay their last respects.

Chong's wife Karen Tham Yoke Hing, 54, and their daughter Rachel Chong, 21, a student at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, were calm when family members and friends came by to pay their last respects.

The remains of Chong and Tan Ping Wee, another Malaysian who was killed in the incident, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Cargo Complex (KLIA), Sepang from Algiers at 8.30pm on Monday night.

During the Jan 16 incident, a militant group held 130 Amenas OGPC staff from various countries, including five Malaysians, at In Amenas, Algeria.

The action was believed to be in retaliation against the Algerian government for allowing French fighter jets into its airspace to quell Muslim militants in Mali.

Three other Malaysians - K. Ravi, Lau Seek Chiang and Patrick Purait Awang - who were also working at the gas facility complex in In Amenas, have since returned home safely.