"We are doing our best to send home his remains today," Indonesian Consul General in Guangzhou Gustanto told ANTARA on Sunday.
To this end, the consulate general staff members have been coordinating with all related Chinese authorities as well as Garuda Indonesia's representative office in Guangzhou.
At the moment, the consulate staff members were at the Guangzhou St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital, he said, adding that Sutopo was accompanied by his wife, Retno Utami Yulianingsih, several relatives and Indonesian community members before his death.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi had contacted Sutopo's wife to express her condolence. Sutopo had been treated at the Guangzhou St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital since June 14, 2019.
Meanwhile, Garuda Indonesia's General Manager in Guangzhou Suzana Argentine W said Sutopo's coffin could be flown to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday afternoon if all administrative requirements could have been fulfilled in advance.
Garuda plane's GA-899 is scheduled to depart from Guangzhou's Baiyun International Airport at 15:45 local time or 14.45 Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB) to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Banten Province, she said.
The BNPB announced that it suffered a tremendous loss in the passing of its senior spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who died of lung cancer on early Sunday while being treated at the Guangzhou St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital
The BNPB received the sad news from Sutopo's wife and his son's Twitter account, the agency's public relations division revealed in its press statement.
Sutopo who was confirmed by doctors to get lung cancer in December 2017 passed away at around 02:20 a.m. Guangzhou's time or 01:20 a.m. Jakarta's time after being treated at the Chinese city's St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital since June 14.
The cancer that he suffered had spread to his body's bones and several other vital internal organs. However, despite his serious illness, Sutopo remained committed to his professional work as the agency's spokesperson.
Amid his ongoing endeavor to receive medical treatment, he still held regular press briefings to update information on the impact and mitigation efforts of such catastrophic disasters as the Lombok and Palu earthquakes and tsunamis, BNPB said.
"We all suffer a tremendous loss in the passing of Mr.Sutopo. May almighty Allah Subhana Wa Taala accept his good deeds, and enable the mourning families to cope with this loss and grief patiently," the BNPB said.
Related news: Indonesia suffers tremendous loss in BNPB spokesperson's passing
Translator: M.Irfan Ilmie, Rahmad N
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
