KUCHING: The late deputy chief minister Tan Sri James Masing has been laid to rest at Nirvana Memorial Park in Siniawan near here.

       Following a state funeral at the Christian Ecumenical Worship Centre here on Wednesday (Nov 3), the hearse left at 1.10pm for the burial site, where a short service was conducted in Iban.

       The casket was draped in the Sarawak flag, which was then folded and presented to his wife Puan Sri Corrine Masing.

       Earlier, dignitaries, community leaders, relatives and members of the public paid their last respects at the funeral.

       The guests were headed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and members of the state Cabinet.

       Masing, 72, passed away at the Normah Medical Specialist Centre here on Oct 31 from heart complications.

       He had been admitted to the Sarawak General Hospital on Sept 28 after testing positive for Covid-19, but his final test was reported to be negative.

       Born on March 5, 1949, Masing was first elected to the Sarawak Legislative Assembly in 1983 in the Baleh constituency, a seat he held for eight consecutive terms.

       He was the founding president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak in 2004 and served as deputy chief minister since 2016.