Sadness filled the air when the body of commando officer Major Mohd Zahir Armaya arrived at the Wardieburn Camp mosque on Jalan Genting Klang in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, for funeral prayers early today.

More than 1,000 people, including family members, close friends and members of the press, were waiting there to pay their last respects when the body arrived at 1.48am.

Mohd Zahir, 36, died in a shooting demonstration held in conjunction with the launching of the 5th Infantry Division and 13th Infantry Brigade at the Lok Kawi army camp in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, yesterday morning.

Among the dignitaries present at the mosque to pay their last respects were Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu, Army Chief Ahmad Hasbullah Ahmad Nawawi, Navy Chief Laksamana Mohd Reza Mohd Sany, senior private secretary to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Nazim Mohd Alim, and Mohd Zahir’s father AR Badul and other family members.

After the funeral prayer service was completed at 2.43am, the body was taken to the Tambun Muslim cemetery in Ipoh for burial after subuh prayers.

Mohd Zahir, who was based at the Sungai Udang camp in Malacca, leaves behind his wife and five children aged between five months and nine years.

Nazim said he was representing Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah to convey their condolences to the family of Mohd Zahir.

"I also handed over a contribution from Their Majesties to Major Mohd Zahir’s wife Nourshafinar Harun," he told reporters at the mosque.

Nourshafinar, 31, said she last met Mohd Zahir on Aug 26, before he left for Sabah.

“I feel grateful for having lived with him although he was lent to me by Allah for a while only,” she told reporters at the mosque.

- Bernama