Dead Singaporean cyclist buried in Ipoh cemetery
A 56-year-old Singaporean cyclist, who was found dead three days after he went missing during a 160km cycling race in Perak, was laid to rest in the Malaysian state yesterday.
Mr Abdul Samat Ismail was buried in a Muslim cemetery at Station 18, Ipoh, at 9am, race organiser Perak Century Ride 2018 said on its Facebook page.
An autopsy on his body was completed on Wednesday evening at Batu Gajah Hospital, with his wife, children and other relatives present.
"We are coping well with the demise," said his son Muhammad Sufiyan Abdul Samat, 32.
He added that other family members left Singapore last night and travelled eight hours by bus to Ipoh, the capital city of Perak.
Mr Samat was part of a 20-man cycling team from Singapore that took part in the Perak Century Ride in Gopeng, south of Ipoh, on Sunday.
He had stopped to rest at a water station some 24km from the finish line after suffering from leg cramps, said team leader Alvin Low, 45.
Mr Samat's roommate, who was with him at the water station, continued the ride without him.
When Mr Samat still did not cross the finish line at about 3pm, the team tried calling him but did not receive a response. They alerted the local police at about 3.30pm.
He was found on Wednesday afternoon by a volunteer search party near Kellie's Castle, a century-old ruined mansion some 13km from the finish line.
His body was found in a clump of bushes, said Perak police chief Ahmad Tarmizi Shaari.
The police ruled out foul play. It is suspected that Mr Samat had fallen off his bicycle after fainting.
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