JAKIM to increase staff to handle victims' remains in Amsterdam

The Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) will increase its staff in Amsterdam to handle the remains of the MH17 tragedy if necessary, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, here today.

He said at present, JAKIM had four religious officers in Amsterdam for this purpose as well as to foster ties with the local Muslim community there.

"It (sending more religious officers to Amsterdam) would depend on the need," he told the media after attending the opening ceremony of the Malaysian Islamic Skills Institute (Ikmas) Convention by the Sarawak Yang Dipertua, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, here.

Flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17 as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew on board. The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is believed to have been shot down over the troubled country.

Jakim had sent 10 of its officers to Amsterdam to help in the efforts to manage the remains of Muslim victims out of the crash site.

To date, since Aug 22, 14 of the 20 Malaysians who were Muslims killed in the tragedy had been brought back and buried.