Death always comes unexpectedly, many would panic and feel lost, wondering what is the next step. Moving forward, we will explain a standard funeral process implemented within the industry, but keep in mind that this is by no means a process that applies to all funerals. We merely hope for you to learn about it, as this would be a helping hand in relieving the anxiety when a loved one passed away. Having an understanding will assist you in making the most suited decision and be well-prepared to bid farewell to your favourite person.
Your loved one may leave the world in different locations, which may have different arrangements and processes. Regardless of how complicated the next part is, do not forget that you can always say “I love you” or “Have a wonderful journey” into the ears of the deceased at that very moment, giving him or her a final company and blessing.
When the doctor announces the death of a patient, the nurse and medical staff will clean up the body slightly before going through the documentation procedures. Especially in private hospitals, be aware that family members are required to make medical payments before the body is sent to the morgue. The hospital will issue the Daftar Kematian/ Permit Mengubur form * before the funeral company can pick up the body.
Family members are required to do two steps:
Firstly, call the emergency hotline (phone number: 999) to inform that someone in the family has passed away. After asking for the address, an ambulance from a nearby hospital will be sent to verify the death.
Secondly, report to a nearby police station and remember to bring along the identity card of both yours and the deceased. Depending on the situation, the police may need to go to your house for inspection purposes before issuing the Daftar Kematian/ Permit Mengubur, only then the funeral company can pick up the body.
Police authorities will be involved in the investigation, in most cases, the remains will go through a post mortem examination to determine the cause of death. This process will take a longer time, depending on the working hours of the forensic department and the complexity of the death. Hence, it ranges from approximately 4 to 24 hours before the police issue the Daftar Kematian/ Permit Mengubur, only then the funeral company can pick up the body.
* Daftar Kematian/ Permit Mengubur is the “Death Registration / Burial Permit” issued by the hospital or police station, it is not the official death certificate. The death certificate is required to be processed at the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) by simply submitting the ID card of the deceased and Daftar Kematian / Permit Mengubur to apply. Funeral companies can also assist the application process.
Sometimes, the deceased may have already planned ahead and made arrangements with the relevant funeral companies before they passed, hence, inform the funeral companies to pick up the body directly. If no funeral companies have been consulted previously, Yi Yuan Life Care strongly recommend that you should not rush into making a decision. You may receive many phone calls or someone will introduce you to various funeral arrangements directly at the scene, however, know that you do not need to blindly trust them due to the pressure and urgency you feel. We understand that you and your family are feeling sad or even irritable at this time, which is why you need to be patient when making your selections. We suggest to confide trusted friends and family to help you understand the details of different funeral services and filter the most suitable funeral companies. It may take up a long time, but we presume the deceased will understand, because he or she would likewise want you to make the right choice to see him or her off.
These are some guidelines that will be useful to select the various funeral services:
If you require any form of support and inquiries, please call the following number,
Yi Yuan Life Care provides 24-hour service:
010 987 6428.
The funeral director will arrive at the hospital or at home with a funeral vehicle, he will either arrange to deliver the body to the funeral company, or to be clean and change at home. The deceased may have been sick in bed for a long time before he passed away, and do not have the opportunity to properly clean up his body. Therefore, on this last journey, the funeral director would gently wash and care for the deceased, so that he or she will be dignified before leaving the world in peace.
Based on the preferences of the deceased during his or her lifetime, you may provide the following items for the funeral director to dress the deceased one last time:
Funeral planning for a loved one is a major event that everyone is likely to experience in their lifetime. Family members are required to make many decisions, you will feel pain and grief, but when you participate in the full funeral preparation and process; to create a meaningful farewell for him or her, this will likewise a process of healing for you.
The following are the five basic pointers when planning a funeral:
Funerals are usually held in a funeral home or at home, but the location can be different depending on special circumstances, such as a memorial service or a simple farewell (no body of the deceased).
Religions in Malaysia are very diverse. At Yi Yuan Life Care, we will provide suitable arrangements based on different religious rituals and local customs. Religion is a part of the funeral, but it is not necessary to involve religious rituals during a funeral. If the deceased is an atheist, we can always accommodate to provide a humanized or personalized funerals, in which friends and families can likewise pay their respect.
Malaysia currently only offer options for either cremation or burial. We encourage family members to reach a consensus with their elders as much as possible when they are alive. Many times, the elderly will be the first to think about this point when it comes to the topic of after-life arrangement, therefore, this could be a good question or entry point for family members to talk about death with the elderly.
Burial - The first condition in choosing a burial arrangement is that there must be a burial ground ready. The price of a burial ground may vary greatly depending on the size of the area, the location throughout various privately-owned cemeteries or burial grounds across the country. Before making the decision to bury the body, family members must consider the cost of constructing a tombstone (generally known as feng shui).
Cremation - Cremation is a common arrangement in modern times like today. The main reason is, it is no longer constrained to the traditional concept of the need to be buried in the ground. The cost of the columbarium is also lower than that of the burial ground, leading to the increasing preference from family members towards the idea of cremation. There are many ways to store the ashes after cremation, most people will keep the ashes in the columbarium; though there are also other methods such as burial of the ashes, scattered the ashes into the sea, or parts of the ashes can be made into a memento or even store it at home.
The funeral director will introduce the materials and cost of various coffins and urns, so family members can choose the most suitable place to house the deceased. In recent years, due to the increasing awareness of environmental protection, more and more family members have opted for the use of environmentally-friendly coffins.
The memorial hall presents the personality of the deceased, it is for friends and families to connect with the deceased when they give their condolences. The funeral director will place items or works that best represent the deceased, creating a space to reminisce. When individuals are gathered in this space, they will be able to remember the memories shared with the deceased, express their emotions, and at the same time provide support and sympathy to one another.
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This guide contains the information you need to plan your funeral. Feel free to use it when planning a funeral, or as a reference for your life planning, you can always discuss with your family or share with a funeral director.
Funeral ceremonies for Chinese Malaysians are usually held for three to five days from the death of their loved ones to the time of their funeral. During this period, families and friends will visit and "sit through the night", one after another. The aim is to give care and condolences to the bereaved, and family members are encouraged to share what the deceased went through before passing away, or look back at stories and memories of the deceased. It is a time to express loving thoughts towards the deceased, to calm the grieving soul and to establish a social support network for the bereaved.
During the funeral, family members will also perform religious rituals, believing that the deceased will go to a better place through chanting blessings, burning incense or worship and prayer; as these rituals will be the utmost comfort for the bereaved.
Though it may be hectic during the funeral, remember to reserve time for yourself and the deceased. You can play the favorite song of the deceased, go by the coffin and have conversations with him or her. Or, you can even make the deceased’s his or her favourite cup of coffee, know that these little actions will help the bereaved mourn, and to have no regrets when they move on in life.
Before the ceremony, the funeral director will meet with the family members to discuss the final process. Different religions will have some differences, therefore, the funeral director will coordinate with religious leaders to ensure a successful funeral ceremony. Funeral ceremonies nowadays are more focused on sharing personal emotions, such as using photos and clips to make short videos of the life of the deceased. Friends, families and representatives will come together to share the life story of the deceased, and may sing a song to the deceased as a final gift. The true meaning behind these rituals is to see different people expressing their feelings towards the deceased, to give thanks for their presence and to show gratitude for making an impact in the lives of many. This ceremony is for family members, relatives and friends to express their nostalgia towards the deceased in any way possible and create a meaningful funeral to remember.
After walking the final journey with the deceased, Yi Yuan Life Care will continue to assist family members in handling the ashes after cremation, guiding family members to perform the bone-picking and sealing ceremony. We will also assist family members in arranging the engraving and construction of the burial tombstones, and provide consulting services throughout the burial process. We will continue to update the progress of the processes, the preparation items and any form of precautions. In the days to come, Yi Yuan Life Care will continue to provide counseling and retrospective assistance to our customers with a caring heart.
If you are reading this guide because someone you know is dying or has died, please accept our condolences.
We're sorry that you’re going through this.
If you require any form of support and inquiries,
please call the following number,
Yi Yuan Life Care provides 24-hour service.
