Introduction
The handover of bodies to the heirs is carried out at the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine after verifying all details of the deceased and the claiming heirs. The handover of the body to the family or heirs of the deceased is done in the following situations:
-
For regular death cases in the ward, family members or heirs can claim the body after completing all the necessary documents at the counter of the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine.
-
For medicolegal death cases, the claiming of the body can only be done after the post-mortem examination is completed, and all the necessary documents are filled.
The attending Assistant Medical Officer will identify whether the death is a regular case or medicolegal case and will inform the estimated time for the body to be claimed by the family or heirs if it involves a post-mortem examination.
Identification of the Body
-
For regular death cases, the identification of the body will be done by the claiming heirs.
-
For police cases, the identification of the body will be done by the claiming heirs in the presence of the relevant police investigator.
Claiming the Body
The personal details of the family member or heir who is claiming the body will be recorded in the Body Handling Form and Death Register or the Forensic Medicine Information System (FMIS). The required information includes:
- Name of the claiming heir
- Identification Card/Passport number
- Address
- Phone number
- Relationship with the deceased
- Date and time of the claim
The documents that will be handed over to the claiming heirs are as follows:
- Medical Officer’s Certification Regarding the Cause of Death or Medical Officer’s Certification Regarding the Cause of Death (Post-Mortem).
- Death Registration Form / Burial Permit.
Ensure that all the relevant documents and the deceased’s personal belongings (if any) are taken during the body claiming procedure at the counter of the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine. The process of handling the body by the hospital is considered complete after these documents are submitted.
Body Management
The arrangement for the preparation of the body for burial/cremation is the responsibility of the claiming heirs. The Ministry of Health Malaysia does not provide body management services such as bathing, prayers, or body preservation. However, the hospital does provide a place for body management without any charges. Please contact the Assistant Medical Officer at the counter of the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine for further information, as some hospitals may not allow these body management procedures to be performed on their premises.
For your information:
- Department/hospital staff are not involved in body management procedures, including accompanying the body during transportation for burial.
- The hospital will not be responsible for any unforeseen incidents that may occur after the body is claimed.
- If the claiming heirs wish to use the hospital’s hearse service, payment must be made at the Revenue Unit. The rate will depend on the distance traveled. Please bring back the payment receipt to the counter of the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine for further processing.
Death Registration
Family members or heirs of the deceased are advised to obtain the Death Certificate from the National Registration Department after a period of three working days. Please bring along:
- Death Registration Form / Burial Permit (Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Section 4(1) Regulation 5 – JPN.LM02 (Pin1/11)).
- Identification Card of the deceased.
For death registration in Sabah, the following documents need to be brought along for registration. Please ensure they are accepted at the counter of the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine:
- Slip MF13 (Burial Certificate).
-
Form B – Sabah Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1951 (Cap.123).
- Identification Card of the deceased.
For death registration in Sarawak, the following documents need to be brought along for the registration. Please ensure they are accepted at the counter of the Department/Unit of Forensic Medicine:
- Form VIII Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (BD9/68) or Form IX Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (After Post-Mortem) (BD10/68).
-
Identification Card of the deceased
Handover of Foreigner’s Body
The relevant embassy must be informed of the verification of the deceased’s nationality status before the body is handed over to the claiming heirs or authorized parties.
The claiming party must contact the funeral operator themselves based on the Guidelines for the Import or Export of a Body or Any Part Thereof (First Edition) 2006.
References
- Circular Letter from the Director-General of Health Malaysia No. 10/2012 Standard Operating Procedures of Forensic Medicine Services: Reference No. KKM87/P1/34/8 Jld 4 (76) dated 22 February 2012.
| Last Reviewed | : | February 2024 |
| Writer | : | Salina bt. Hisham |
| Reviewer | : | ChM. Dr. Khairul Adli bin Nikman |
