The family of Everest hero M Moorthy is willing to accept the High Court's decision on the tussle over his remains, said lawyer A Sivanesan today.

"Is the civil court empowered to decide on the case? That is what we're trying to find out," he added when contacted.

On the same note, he said the family's decision to file a case with the High Court (Special Appeals) was not meant to challenge the Syariah court.

Accept decision

The Syariah court, on Thursday, ruled that Moorthy should be buried according to Islamic rites.

The 36-year-old wheelchair-bound former army commando, who died on Tuesday, had reportedly converted to Islam.

However, his family claimed to be in the dark and his widow Kaliammal Sinnasamy wants to perform a Hindu funeral for her late husband.

The High Court will rule on the matter next Tuesday, and Sivanesan, who is representing the widow, urged all quarters to accept its decision.

Yesterday, tensions ran high at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where Moorthy's remains lay, when hundreds of people gathered there.

Kaliammal was having a meeting with the hospital director, the head of the Federal Territories Religious Department and two army generals.

Following this, rumours of unrest in the city began to spread, prompting the police to issue a warning .