‘Stern action over cremation mix-up’

> Ministry takes serious view of error by Kajang Hospital, says Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: Health DirectorGeneral Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has warned of severe action against the Kajang Hospital staff whose mistake had resulted in the body of a Muslim convert cremated according to Buddhist rites.

He said the Selangor Department of Health was conducting an in-depth study into the case after the hospital admitted the error of handing the body of Hassan Abdullah to the wrong people.

“The Ministry of Health regrets and takes a serious view of the incident. The ministry maintains that such a mistake should never occur at any hospital,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Noor Hisham said hospitals and forensic units have guidelines and standard operating procedures on the handing over of bodies to the next-of-kin.

Malay daily Berita Harian yesterday reported that Hassan, 74, whose original name was Lin Ah San alias Lim Ah San, was cremated according to Buddhist rites after the forensic unit of Kajang Hospital handed the body to a welfare centre last Saturday.

The newspaper quoted Al-Fikrah Malaysia Care Centre chairman Mohd Azmi Md Zain as saying that the confusion came about as there were two bodies of Chinese men with almost similar names at the unit.

Noor Hisham said the ministry had issued directives for an immediate improvement of the procedures at the hospital to prevent a repeat of the incident.

He said Hassan was the only Muslim convert in his family and had been staying at a welfare home in Kajang.

“The ashes of the deceased have been handed to the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (MAIS) welfare home,” he said.

According to Bernama, MAIS said it wanted the Kajang Hospital to probe and compile a detailed report on the incident.

Its chairman, Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa, suggested in a statement that the hospital review and improve its procedures to prevent similar incidents.

He said MAIS also urged all quarters against issuing statements that could turn the matter into a controversy.

Women police officers showing off their certificates during the pinning of ranks and Excellence Service Award ceremony at the Selangor police headquarters officers’ mess in Shah Alam yesterday.