The body of former Sarawak governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud departed the air force base in Subang for Kuching at 1.58pm today.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) C130 Hercules aircraft carrying his body is scheduled to arrive at the Kuching International Airport at 4.30pm.
His body was taken to the air base at 1.05pm.
Among those who were there to pay their last respects was the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Sarawak Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and several Cabinet ministers.
The casket was carried into the aircraft by nine members of the Malaysian Armed Forces and Royal Malaysia Police.
According to a statement from the Sarawak Public Communication Unit, Abdul Taib’s body will be taken from the Kuching airport to his house in Demak Jaya, Jalan Bako.
The body will be taken to the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly building tomorrow, and members of the public can pay their last respects between 8am and 11.30am.
After that, the body will be taken to Masjid Demak near his house for prayers before a state burial at the family cemetery in Demak Jaya.
Funeral prayers were held for former Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur at 10.24am today.
The prayers were led by National Mosque Grand Imam Ehsan Mohd Hosni.
Approximately 100 people consisting of family members and close friends performed the funeral prayers.
Abdul Taib’s remains were then brought to the Main Lecture Hall of the mosque for family members and friends to pay their final respects.
Also present were his wife Toh Puan Raghad Kurdi Taib and his son Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib.
In a Facebook post, his daughter Datuk Hanifah Taib said the 87-year-old breathed his last at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur at 4.40am.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak state government said flags would be flown at half-mast on Wednesday and Thursday (Feb 22), while official functions involving entertainment would be postponed.
The state government also said a state funeral would be held for Abdul Taib at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex on Thursday.