Widow of chopper crash victim says Sarawak always close to her heart

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Mastura bursts into tears when met by reporters after she paid a courtesy call on Adenan.

Mastura bursts into tears when met by reporters after she paid a courtesy call on Adenan.

KUCHING: Sarawak will always remain as a place close to her heart, said Kuala Kangsar MP Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid, who lost her husband the late Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad in a helicopter crash in Sungai Batang Lupar, Sebuyau on May 5.

“Sarawak is forever etched in my heart and my sons’ as this is the place where my late husband took his last breath,” she told reporters after paying a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem and wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu at his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.

Mastura and her four sons met the chief minister to express their gratitude and convey their appreciation to the state government, especially the chief minister, for the search-and-rescue (SAR) efforts to locate the remains of Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar and the return of his remains to Kuala Kangsar.

“Adenan as well as the state government have provided us with a lot of assistance, including moral support to our family, as well as the heirs of the other passengers killed in the incident.

“We as a family would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to all agencies and departments involved in the rescue operation.”

The courtesy visit was Mastura’s first after winning the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary by-election, replacing her husband.

Today Mastura together with her four sons and one of her daughters-in-law will go to the scene nearest to where her husband’s remains were found about four months ago.

She said a ‘tahlil’ prayer will be held at a nearby mosque with members of the SAR team and villagers in Kampung Lingga, near Sri Aman.

The Eurocopter AS350 piloted by Captain Rudolf vanished from radar along Sg Batang Lupar in the Sebuyau-Lingga area at 4.32pm on May 5 while travelling from Betong to Kuching.

The passengers on board were Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Noriah Kasnon, Asmuni Abdullah (Noriah’s husband), Kuala Kangsar MP Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai and Ahmad Sobri Harun (Noriah’s bodyguard).