The ceremonial honours for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash victims will begin at the grounds of the Bunga Raya Complex in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Friday from 7.30am.

A total of 20 bodies from are expected to arrive.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said 17 bodies will be brought back in coffins together with the ashes of the cremated three in urns.

He said, however, the body of a Dutch national, which was earlier expected to be buried in Malaysia, will not be brought in together with the other remains.

The full list of the victims to be brought home will be announced tomorrow.

“Our discussions at the cabinet confirmed that we will receive 20 bodies of our countrymen on Friday.

Although there will be an increase in the number of bodies arriving, it will not jeopardise the template of the ceremony," he told a press conference at the Communication and Multimedia Ministry building on Wednesday.

The press conference was also attended by Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Communication and Multimedia Deputy Minister Datuk Jailani Johari.

Out of the 43 Malaysians killed on board MH17, 28 have so far been identified, with passengers accounting for 15 and 13 crew members.

Eight more bodies have yet been cleared by the Dutch authorities to be brought back to Malaysia.

The remaining bodies that did not arrive on Friday would tentatively reach home on Aug 24, said Hishammuddin.

He added that the federal government would invite all members of Parliament to attend the ceremony marking the arrival of the remains.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah will also be present at the ceremony.