TRAGIC REUNION
Embassy seeking clearance to bring remains back, says deputy minister
THE remains of two Malaysians who died in the earthquake which struck Lombok, Indonesia on Sunday, will be flown home today.
The remains of Datin Tai Siew Kim and Lim Sai Wah are at a hospital in Mataram, Lombok.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya said the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta was obtaining clearance to bring them home.
“The remains are expected to be flown straight from Lombok to Kuala Lumpur and not through Jakarta.”
Tai was Sin Chew Daily deputy executive editor-in-chief while Lim was a housewife. Both were 56.
They were among a group of Malaysians in Lombok for a holiday, and were at the Tiu Kelep Waterfall in Bayan district in north Lombok when the earthquake struck in the afternoon.
China Press had reported that Tai was in Lombok with her exclassmates from SRJK(C) Jementah. They were in Lombok since March 14 and were supposed to return here yesterday.
Tai’s son, Teoh Jin Yik, 20, who was with her, was injured.
The Malaysian embassy in Jakarta said the other 14 Malaysians who were involved in the incident were safe. They were expected to return home tomorrow.
Nine Malaysians were injured, but only four are still warded at the Mataram Hospital.
Tai’s husband, Datuk Teoh Yang Khoon, who is China Press editor-in-chief, is said to have flown to Lombok yesterday morning.
Page 1 pic: Rescuers carrying the body of Lim Sai Wah in North Lombok, Indonesia, yesterday.