GEORGE TOWN: More than 100 Muslims gathered for an absentee funeral prayer in honour of 17-year-old Muhammad Haziq Mohd Tarmizi, the Malaysian who was killed during the recent New Zealand mosque attack as well as for the other 49 victims.
Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz said he was able to meet with family members of the victims during his five-day official visit from March 16 to 20 with Penang state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh.
"We expressed sympathy for the loss of lives and this is a way for us to show it. Usually a funeral prayer would be in front of the deceased. In this case, we carry out an absentee funeral prayer instead.
"This is a way for us to show our solidarity as well," he said during Malam Cinta Rasul by his service centre along Tingkat Teluk Kumbar 3 in Teluk Kumbar on Thursday (March 21).
In his opening speech, Azrul said the Malam Cinta Rasul was planned much earlier but the organisers decided to include the absentee funeral prayer as part of the event.
He also expressed admiration for those in New Zealand who came together to mourn the loss of lives regardless religion and race.
His death was confirmed by Wisma Putra and his remains were laid to rest at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Bromley, New Zealand at about 4pm (New Zealand time) Thursday.
Muhammad Haziq is the first Malaysian confirmed dead in the March 15 shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.
His father and two other Malaysians Muhammad Nazril Hisham Omar and Rahimi Ahmad are undergoing treatment in New Zealand for gunshot wounds.
An Australian man said to be a white supremacist is believed to be the shooter and has been charged with murder.
New Zealand police have detained three other people in relation to the shootings.
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