KOTA KINABALU, Dec 10 — The bodies of the four members of a Malaysian family who were killed in a road crash in New Zealand were buried in Christchurch at 6.30am (Malaysian time).

This was confirmed by Dr Rumihati Abd Hamid’s niece Afifah Shaiffuddin, who received the news from her family member who is now in New Zealand.

She said based on preliminary information, the four bodies would be buried at Christchurch’s Memorial Park Cemetery.

"Solat jenazah ghaib (funeral prayers in the absence of the dead) will be held tomorrow (December 10) at several mosques in Putatan and Kota Kinabalu after Maghrib prayers,” she said when met at her family residence in Kampung Ulu Putatan, yesterday.

Meanwhile, Afifah said Dr Rumihati’s youngest child Nur Arifah Bahiyah Adanan, 11, who survived the incident and was receiving treatment at the Wellington Hospital had regained consciousness.

"According to the doctor, she may probably be hospitalised for four more weeks,” she said.

The crash on State Highway 1, Kaikoura, New Zealand, last Friday killed Dr Rumihati, 49, her husband Adanan Jemain, 49, and their children Nur Irfan, 15, and Maisarah Arifah, 13. — Bernama