Ipoh residents pay last respects to Chong Yee Pheng

Regardless of religious or racial differences, residents at Taman Pertama and its vicinity here were present to express their condolences to the family of flight MH17 tragedy victim, Chong Yee Pheng, 40, at her family home. Senior citizens with walking sticks, students in their school uniforms and others braved the scorching sun to pay their last respects at the house's compound. The hearse arrived at the house compound at Jalan 4, Taman Pertama at 12.55pm, accompanied by a police patrol car and seven outriders from the Perak police contingent headquarters and nearby police stations as well as Perak Health Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon. The atmosphere was gloomy when the remains of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) crew member was brought out of the hearse by nine military personnel from the Second Brigade headquarters, Ipoh as church gospel music was played in the background leaving many of the mourners to shed tears. Chong will be buried at noon on Sunday at Paradise Memorial Park, Jalan Chemor, Tanjung Rambutan here. Throughout the two-day wake, Chong's family will be holding religious ceremonies by inviting pastors from the nearby Lutheran Christian churches to perform the rites. His father Chong Yuk Sang, 74, said Chong was the youngest among five siblings and was still a bachelor. He said all the family members had agreed to bury Chong's remains at Paradise Memorial Park. Earlier Dr Mah, when met by reporters after paying his last respects, said the tragedy that had befallen flight MH17 passengers and crew had united the people to empathise with the victims' families. "Regardless of race or religion, all strata of society have shown the spirit of patriotism and I am really proud to see such a mentality," he said. Flight MH17 was carrying 289 passengers, including 15 crew members enroute to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam when it crashed in east Ukraine last 17 July. It was believed to have been shot down but no one had claimed responsibility until now.