FT ministry offers to subsidise cremation of non-Muslim Covid-19 victims in KL

 

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara Kumar said effective immediately, relatives would only need to pay RM100 for cremation at the City Hall's crematorium in Jalan Kuari, Cheras. -NSTP/EIZAIRI SHAMSUDIN

SHAH ALAM: The Federal Territories Ministry has offered to subsidise the cremation cost for all Covid-19 deaths involving non-Muslim residents of Kuala Lumpur.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Edmund Santhara Kumar said effective immediately, relatives would only need to pay RM100 for cremation at the City Hall's crematorium in Jalan Kuari, Cheras.

He said the ministry would subsidise the rest of the cremation cost estimated to be slightly more than RM1,000 for each body of a deceased person.

"In light of recent claims that some companies have been charging exorbitant fees for cremations involving Covid-19 deaths, the ministry has decided that the family of a deceased will only need to pay RM 100 for the process.

"I have been made to understand that there are also private crematoriums offering the same services in Kepong but the charges are more expensive, between RM700 to RM800 for each cremation.

"But we have decided to subsidise the charges to help the next of kin through the cremation process."

He said the ministry had also opened a one-stop temporary Covid-19 death management centre at the National Sports Institute in Jalan Raja Muda, Kampung Baru to manage any influx of Covid -19 deaths for both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Edmund was speaking to reporters when met at the Shah Alam Hospital Forensic Department here during a storage container handing-over ceremony, this evening.

Maritime Network Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan had presented the ministry with two 40ft-long air conditioned storage containers as part of the company's corporate social responsibility initiative.

Each container could store up to 30 bodies and would be utilised in Selangor, which recorded the highest number in daily cases.

"I think there is a higher need for storage space for bodies here at the moment, if compared to the hospitals in the federal territories," he said.

The containers were handed over to Selangor Health director Datuk Dr Sha'ari Ngadiman and Shah Alam Hospital director Dr Ruzita Othman. - NST