Body of Rosdi Mohamad Zan laid to rest in Ipoh

The air was thick with sadness and remorse as the body of Malaysian Battalion 5 (MALBATT 5) personnel, Sargeant Rosdi Mohamad Zan was received by his family, upon arrival at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) base in Subang, Tuesday.

As the body was being transferred from the Malaysian Armed Forces hearse, a feeling of profound loss overcame Rosdi's widow, Aliza Ariffin, 30, their children, aged three and eight, and the deceased's father, Mohd Zan Omar, 61.

Also present at the TUDM base were the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who was accompanied by her son, Norashman Razak Mohd Najib, Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri and Army Chief General Datuk Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor.

Earlier, the body of Rosdi, who died in an accident in Lebanon, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 2.30pm from Lebanon.

It was then sent to the TUDM mosque in Subang for prayers before being transferred to the TUDM air movement hall to enable family members and those present to pay their last respects.

Rosmah later handed over a personal contribution to Aliza. This was followed by a RM10,000 contribution from the United Nations Trust Fund by Raja Mohamed Affandi, who represented Armed Forces chief Gen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin.

Later, the coffin draped with the national flag was carried by members of the armed forces into a Charlie-130 aircraft for burial in Ipoh.

Rosdi, 32, was a member of MALBATT 5 under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

He was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in, plunged 15 metres into a ravine.

The accident occurred when the vehicle which was towing a condor armoured carrier overturned when negotiating a bend near Houla.

Two other MALBATT 5 personnel, Lance Corporal Nur Syahied Taib and Lance Corporal Mohamad Aizuwan Atan, both aged 26, were injured in the incident.

In IPOH, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and the Army's 2nd Division commander Maj Gen Datuk Mohd Shukuri Ahmad were among a crowd of 200 people including Rosdi's family members, relatives and friends awaiting the arrival of his remains at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.

The Charlie-130 aircraft bearing the coffin arrived at 5.30pm. His remains were then brought to the Hajjah Puteh Mahami Mosque in Taman Bercham Raya before being laid to rest at the Tambun Muslim Cemetery at around 6.30pm.

Following the funeral, Mohd Shukuri presented three medals from the Lebanese Armed Forces and one from the United Nations to Aniza in appreciation of Rosdi's services for the peacekeeping effort in Lebanon,