Five hours, one lorry: Civil Defence, villagers pull together to bury 23-year-old, 250kg man in Rantau Panjang

KOTA BHARU, Sept 19 — In a remarkable display of community spirit, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) joined forces with Rantau Panjang villagers to bury a 250-kilogramme man at the Gual Tinggi Islamic Cemetery. The unique burial service was requested by the Ministry of Health early this morning for a 23-year-old resident of Kampung Gual Tinggi, Rantau Panjang, who suffered from an obesity-related condition.

Lt (PA) Mohd Fuad Ismail, a Rantau Panjang APM officer, disclosed that the team embarked on the challenging task at 11.01 am and concluded it nearly five hours later, at 3.56 pm. The operation entailed the efforts of one officer, two personnel, and a lorry transporting the deceased from Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian to Masjid Al-Hidayah for the funeral prayer before burial.

Villagers also contributed significantly, aiding in the burial arrangements. The burial process, described in a statement by the Rantau Panjang APM officer last night, was made possible through the combined efforts of the Civil Defence Force and the supportive local community.