New Straits Times

MURDERED PALESTINIA­N LECTURER TO BE BURIED IN GAZA

- Additional reporting by Nurul Hidayah Bahaudin

KUALA LUMPUR: Palestinia­n private university lecturer Dr Fadi M.R. Albatsh will be buried in Gaza as requested by his family.

Palestinia­n ambassador to Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippine­s and Maldives Datuk Dr Anwar H. Al Agha said the embassy had started the process of transferri­ng Fadi’s body to Gaza.

“We received an official letter from the family in Palestine to follow up on the case and, at the same time, they have asked us to bring back Fadi’s body to Gaza, as well as his wife and children.

“Our president, Mahmoud Abbas, has instructed us to help with the process.

“We are pursuing the matter with Malaysian officials and will discuss with the Egyptian authoritie­s as well, as the body will pass through Cairo,” he said at Selayang Hospital’s mortuary.

Anwar said the process would take some time, but he hoped to fly the victim’s body to Gaza as soon as possible.

When asked if there could be any difficulty in transferri­ng the body, he said: “We will not say it is difficult, but we need to follow and respect the rules and regulation­s of Malaysia and Egypt.”

He confirmed that Fadi’s brother was scheduled to arrive in

Malaysia to facilitate the transfer process.

He said the embassy had confidence in the Malaysian police investigat­ion.

Fadi, 35, was gunned down outside Idaman Puteri condominiu­m in Setapak while walking to Surau Medan Idaman to lead the subuh prayer at 6am on Saturday.

One of two men, said to have been waiting for him on a motorcycle, fired 10 shots at him.

The victim leaves behind his wife and three children, aged 6, 4 and 1.

Humanitari­an Care Malaysia (MyCARE) trustee Fauziah Mohd Hasan said the victim’s wife, known only as Enas, 30, was too traumatise­d to speak.

“I have been informed by her friends that she is traumatise­d to the extent that she had to be sedated to get rest.

“She keeps asking her friends to tell her that this is just a nightmare and that her husband will return to her soon.”

Fauziah said it was learnt that the couple’s children were being looked after by neighbours.

“We were told that Enas recently registered with Universiti Malaya to get her doctorate in Islamic Studies.

“We pray that Fadi’s family will be strong to face this trial.”

She said MyCARE would start a fund to help Fadi’s family with funeral arrangemen­ts.

 ??  ?? The victim’s wife (centre) being consoled by friends at Selayang Hospital’s mortuary yesterday. (Inset) Dr Fadi M.R. Albatsh.
The victim’s wife (centre) being consoled by friends at Selayang Hospital’s mortuary yesterday. (Inset) Dr Fadi M.R. Albatsh.
 ??  ?? Datuk Dr Anwar H. Al Agha
Datuk Dr Anwar H. Al Agha

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