KUALA LUMPUR: The remains of two more Malaysian citizens who perished in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 tragedy in July will arrive today.

The remains of Tambi Jiee and Benjamin Lee Jian Han will arrive at the Bunga Raya Complex in the KL International Airport at 8.30am.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the duo’s remains would be accorded full military honours, adding that Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would be present at the ceremony.

In a statement here yesterday, he said Jiee’s remains would then be flown to Kuching on an RMAF C-130 aircraft while those of Lee would be taken to the Xiao En Bereavement Care Centre in Cheras.

The return of the duo’s remains marks the repatriation of a total of 35 MH17 Malaysian victims, including a passenger with dual citizenship (Loh Yan Hwa) and two Dutch citizens (Paul Goes and Fan Shun Po).

Liow said to date, a total of 199 MH17 passengers had been identified, with 99 victims still in the process of identification.

Of the 43 Malaysians on board Flight MH17, Liow said the remains of 34 citizens comprising 20 passengers and 14 crew members have been identified, with nine more still pending identification.

“During this difficult time, I wish to call upon all Malaysians to respect the privacy of the families and next-of-kin of the MH17 passengers. As they lay their loved ones to rest, we pray that they may find the courage and strength to weather through this tragic loss,” he said.

He said Malaysia would continue to work closely with its international partners, particularly the Netherlands Government, to ensure the remaining victims would soon be reunited with their families.

Flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17 as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew on board.

The Boeing 777-200 aircraft was believed to have been shot down over the troubled country.

Besides Malaysians, nationals from the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, the Philippines, Canada and New Zealand were among the 298 passengers and crew on board. — Bernama