COVID: Next-of-kins need to allow burial done at designated cemeteries

KUALA LUMPUR: The next-of-kin of those who died of COVID-19 here were asked to allow the burial to be done at the cemetery set by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI).

Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said it was aimed at providing convenience to the next-of-kin to speed up the funeral process as facilities were already available at the Pusat Sehenti Urus Mayat (PUSUM) here including staff who managed it on a scheduled basis.

"We appeal to the families of the COVID-19 victims to allow the process (burial) to be carried out at two designated cemeteries, namely Raudhatul Sakinah Taman Selasih, Batu Caves and Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery.

"But if they want to bury in another cemetery, the matter has to be negotiated with the management because there may be certain constraints that will slow down the process.

"In the current situation, it is better for the burial to be done at the designated cemetery to avoid clusters at the burial place," he said after inspecting the operation of the PUSUM facility which was built temporarily at the National Sports Complex, Jalan Raja Muda, Kampung Baru today.

PUSUM has been operating since July 20 in collaboration with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).

The centre has five containers that can accommodate 225 remains at a time and to date, it has managed 300 remains of COVID-19 patients.

Annuar said the five existing containers were still sufficient to store the remains of COVID-19 victims with the current level of capacity of 100 to 130 bodies.

-- BERNAMA