Selangor allows 10 next of kin to attend individual COVID-19 burial

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government is allowing 10 next of kin to enter the cemetery at the designated waiting zone for the process of burying the remains of an individual COVID-19 victim in Muslim cemeteries supervised by the local authorities (PBT) and mosque parishes during Phase One of the National Recovery Plan (PPN).

Selangor Exco for Islamic Religious Affairs, Consumer Affairs and Halal Industry Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni said for group burial of COVID-19 remains, only two next of kin for each victim are allowed to enter the cemetery and be in the waiting zone set at the cemetery.

According to Zawawi, for COVID-19 parish funeral supervised by the mosque, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has designated several centralised cemeteries for the burial of the remains and the burial process will be carried out by gravediggers or Islamic non-governmental organisation (NGO) certified volunteers.

"For burials in cemeteries under local authorities, it will be implemented in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) of the Ministry of Health," he said in a post uploaded on Facebook @Zawawi Mughni, today.

Zawawi said a total of 20 next of kin and five members of the mosque committee (AJK) are allowed to attend the burial of non-COVID remains as well as for talkin and tahlil recitation after the body is buried at the cemetery supervised by the mosque.

"As for visit to the graves of family members or relatives, not more than five next of kin are allowed at a time and the visit is limited to 30 minutes only," he said.

According to Zawawi, for the burial of ordinary deaths in the cemetery supervised by the local authority, only 10 next of kin are allowed and they can bring the imam and his assistant for talkin and tahlil recitation.

"Only two next of kin are allowed to visit the graves of family or relatives at a time and is limited to 20 minutes only at such cemeteries," he said.

He said among the conditions are that visitors to the cemetery must have two doses of vaccination and visit is only during the hours permitted.

-- BERNAMA