MH17: MAS holds 'tahlil' for crash victims

About 500 people attended a "tahlil" and reading of the "Yassin" organised by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to pray for the MH17 crash victims Thursday night.

The airline's External Relations manager, Lokman Ishak said the religious event was held with the cooperation of Tengku Kelana Jaya Petra Mosque, here, and which was part of a spiritual programme organised by MAS since the tragedy.

"Besides MAS staff, we also invited the public and victims' family members to the tahlil session," he said here on Thursday night.

Led by imam Shaedin Wahab, the ceremony began with the tahlil, followed by 'hajat' prayers, Iftar and then Maghrib, Isyak and Tarawih prayers.

Also present was MAS CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya.

Members of the public who attended the religious event said they came to show support for the MH17 crash victims' families and MAS.

"Now that Aidilfitri is approaching, we cannot imagine the families' sadness," said Asiah Mohd, 53.

The mosque's Muslimat (Women) Committee member, Rozini Yahya said the congregation was bigger than usual although many were expected to have returned to their hometowns for Raya celebrations.

"Perhaps this (tahlil and prayer session) is one way we could share the grief of the victims' families," she said.

A special inter-religious supplication programme will be held at the Malaysia Airlines Academy in Kelana Jaya at 8.30pm on Friday.

It will start with the supplication session for Muslims at 8.50pm, then the Christians (9.05pm), Sikhs (9.20pm), Buddhists (9.35pm), Taoists (9.50pm) and Hindus (10.05pm).

MH17, carrying 298 people including 43 Malaysians, was on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine on July 17.

It is believed to have been shot down by a surface-to-air missile.