Malaysia's first Roman Catholic cardinal dies

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's first Roman Catholic Cardinal, Anthony Soter Fernandez died at 12.35pm on Wednesday at the age of 88.

Astro AWANI understands, the deceased breathed his last at the nursing home, Little Sisters of the Poor St. Francis Xavier of Cheras.

Quoting his assistant, Fernandez, who is also the Archbishop Emeritus at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, was previously reported to have shown signs of illness while receiving treatment for cancer.

Fernandez was diagnosed with tongue cancer in November last year. Since then, the deceased underwent a series of immunotherapy and radiotherapy treatments while resting in the nursing home.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the house cannot be visited by visitors, while the funeral arrangements will also be limited.

Fernandez was appointed cardinal by the supreme Roman Catholic leader, Pope Francis, in November 2016.