Funeral parlour in Sin Ming draws flak for "disrespectfully' placing bodies on floor
A funeral parlour located in Sin Ming Drive has come under fire after it was discovered to have allegedly mishandled the bodies of the deceased.
Shin Min Daily News received an anonymous tip-off from a person who claims to work at another funeral parlour.
The person said he received a photograph showing two bodies placed on the ground. Three other bodies were also in the embalming room, placed atop the embalming tables.
Commenting on the photo, the person, who did not name the parlour in question, said: "Putting the bodies on the floor is very disrespectful to the dead."
According to the National Environmental Agency (NEA)'s guidelines for funeral parlours, authorised personnel should ensure the deceased is placed on an embalming table – and should not be placed on the floor – at all times.
Another insider told Shin Min that there have also been occasions where funeral parlours transport more than one body at the same time – a practice he says is a no-no.
"Normally it's one body per vehicle. What if one of the deceased is a single female and her body is transported together with a male's? How do we answer to the family?"
Unfortunately, the issue of overcrowding is not a new one for local funeral parlours and embalmers, who sometimes violate regulations to keep up with the number of bodies they receive, said the insider.
Some embalming rooms can only fit up to three embalming tables.
With most embalmers serving more than one funeral parlour, overcrowding is almost inevitable, the insider added.
In the comments, some netizens were outraged at the bodies being left on the floor.
'If there's really a manpower shortage, then don't take in so many clients. Putting the deceased on the floor is really disrespectful, they should be treated with respect,” read one comment.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
