Matthew Ezekial to 'reunite' with parents, twin in same grave

Ten years ago on Oct 10, it was a blissful day for Paul Rajasingam Sivagnanam and wife, Mabel Anthonysamy @ Soosai as they were blessed with twins Matthew Ezekial and Nathan Paul.

Sadly however, Bernama learnt that Nathan survived for only 13 days. Since that fateful day, Mabel, it was learnt, had never let Matthew out of her sight.

However, fate dealt yet another cruel blow.

On July 17, Shell IT executive Paul Rajasingam, 52, former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer Mabel, and Matthew perished when the Kuala Lumpur-bound Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine while enroute from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The couple's remains were among the first batch belonging to the victims of Flight MH17, which arrived here on Aug 26 this year.

And for the next 78 days, the couple's next-of-kin and relatives waited anxiously for Matthew's remains.

Today, it was a big relief for them as Matthew's remains - one of 43 Malaysian victims of Flight MH17 - were finally repatriated.

Clement Anthonysamy @ Soosai said his nephew, Matthew's remains would be "reunited" in the same grave at the Jalan Kuala Lumpur City Hall crematorium in Jalan Kuari, Cheras with Nathan, and his parents.

The mothers of both Paul Rajasingam and Mabel were seen weeping right after Matthew's coffin, draped in the Jalur Gemilang, arrived and was placed inside a hall for relatives and friends to pay their final respects.

"It has been the biggest challenge for us (family members), but we are happy that they are reunited once again.

"We decided to take Matthew to my mom's house tonight at Bandar Tun Razak, before cremation at Jalan Kuari tomorrow (Saturday) morning," Clement told reporters when met outside the home of Paul Rajasingam's mother in Bangsar Friday.

He also conveyed his appreciation to the Federal Government, especially Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, for the full military honours and continuous support.

"I met with Hishammuddin this morning, and he assured (us) that once this is done, the Government will do its best to ensure justice. I would like to thank him for the assurance," said Clement.

Flight MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine on July 17 as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew on board.

Besides Malaysians, nationals from the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, the Philippines, Canada and New Zealand were among those on board.