KOTA KINABALU: The sight of Faridah Mohd Maluddin clutching a special coffin bearing the body of her youngest son and struggling to come to terms with the loss cast a sombre mood among villagers in Kampung Liang, Kota Belud here.
The 56-year-old is the mother of Mohd Rais Sarkhanuddin Zainordin, 23, who died when he was in South Korea on July 14.
Dressed in all black, Faridah, accompanied by her eldest son Mohd Syahzehanuddin, 25, and several family members, appeared overwhelmed with grief as they received the special coffin.
"Adik... is that you (inside the coffin)?"
"Abang (Syahzehanuddin)... is this really adik (inside the coffin)?" a visibly grief-stricken Faridah was heard repeatedly asking Syahzehanuddin.
At one juncture, Syahzehanuddin was seen unable to contain his sorrow as he kissed the coffin and offered prayers for his younger brother.
The coffin bearing Rais's body left South Korea and arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport's MAS Kargo at about 2pm today before being transported immediately to the village for his funeral rites.
His remains will be buried next to his father's grave.
Apart from family members, relatives and friends, also present to provide emotional support for the family was the assistant to the Assistant State Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Fairuz Renddan.
A relative, Mohd Faizal Hishamuddin Amirdin, 37, remembers Rais as kind-hearted person, who was always to go the extra mile to help others.
"We were like siblings. I considered him my own younger brother.
"The last time we met was last month in Kundasang while he was working there. I never thought that would be our final meeting," he said.
It is understood that Rais had been in South Korea for a month traveling and staying with friends.
News of his death went viral on social media after a family member sought public assistance to bring Rais's body from Gumi, Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, back to Sabah.