The helicopter crashed near Kampung Pasir Baru in Semenyih, at 4:55 p.m. Saturday (4:55 a.m. ET), Bernama said.

Prime Minister Najib Razak ordered an investigation.

Among the victims were Datuk Azlin Alias, who worked on the prime minister's staff, and Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis, former Malaysian ambassador to the United States and chairman of PR1MA Malaysia, Bernama said. PR1MA is an organization that develops housing in urban centers.

The others on the helicopter were not immediately identified.

"We have lost two figures who had made great contributions to the government, party and country in this tragedy," Najib told reporters after visiting the crash site.

"Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis was a person of high caliber, who had sacrificed much for the government, party and country. He had many acquaintances here and abroad," he said.

The state news agency called Azlin the prime minister's private secretary general, but Najib referred to him as chief of staff.

"Personally he had agreed to leave his career in the corporate sector to serve the government as his national service," Najib said.