The five villagers who were shot dead by a gunman during Wednesday's wedding reception in Rumah Enchan in the Song district of Sarawak were buried near their longhouse today.

Family members said the burial took place after the bodies were brought back to the longhouse from the Kapit hospital mortuary.

Nine others were also injured in the Wednesday night incident. The two who sustained serious injuries are still warded in the Kapit hospital while the others have been discharged.

The gunman, identified as a 36-year-old Indonesian who married a local from the same longhouse, has been remanded for seven days. He has three daughters.

Under observation

He surrendered to the police at about 1.20am Thursday and is now under medical observation at the hospital. .

On the probable reason for the carnage, Song Police Chief ASP Entusa Iman Entusa said he was told that some youths had persistently teased the Indonesian over his statelessness during the Gawai Dayak celebrations at the longhouse over the past week.

"Probably he could not take it anymore," he said of the Indonesian who does not have an identity card..

However, the bride and the bridegroom are safe, he added.