Remains of Tambi, Ariza and children to be buried in Sarawak - Rohani

The next-of-kin of Tambi Jiee, 49, and Ariza Ghazalee, 46, the married couple who were killed, together with their four children, in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 crash in Ukraine, have decided that the six family members be buried at the Semariang Muslim Cemetery near here.

The couple and their children -- Muhammad Afif, 19; Muhammad Afzal, 17; Marsha Azmeena, 15, and Muhammad Afruz, 13, -- were among 283 passengers and 15 crew killed in the MAS aircraft which crashed in east Ukraine on July 17 while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the decision to have the family members buried in Sarawak was conveyed to her during a meeting with the next-of-kin of the deceased couple.

"They (next-of-kin) also requested that the coffins to not be sealed and for them to brought to Amsterdam to assist in the process of identifying the victims and to accompany the bodies back to Malaysia.

"They also want to be informed immediately after the finding of any remains that match the DNA of the couple's family," she added.

Rohani told a media conference after the ministry's Aidilfitri open house here today, that she would pass on the requests by the next-of-kin of the deceased couple to the main committee on the MH17 crash.

She said the next-of-kin of another victim of the crash, Meling Mula, 48, had yet to decide on the funeral for the deceased.

"Mula is from Betong, while his wife is from Bintulu," she added.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and wife, Puan Sri Jamilah Anu, were also at the open house.