KUCHING: A fully-equipped free ambulance service is now available for transportation to hospital and to ferry the deceased.
The service is being provided by the Kuching Community Welfare and Charity Organisation (AMAL) to Sarawakians in need.
The new ambulance, which was made possible by contributions from the public to AMAL and its affiliated members, is meant to assist bedridden patients who require transportation to hospitals and other locations, as well as funeral management.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who lauded the free funeral/ambulance services offered by the organisation said these could lessen the burden of people given that managing remains now comes at a significant cost, especially if the death occurs in a hospital where the corpse must be transported to other locations.
Based on his involvement and experience helping to transfer Sarawakian remains from the peninsula to the state alongside the Sarawak Volunteers and Yayasan Sarawak, he acknowledged that it would be difficult and expensive.
“Firstly, we need to deal with the hospital management. Secondly, the company that handles the coffin.
“If the deceased is buried in Kuching, it would still be cheap. But what if we have to transport from Kuching to other places?
“This is where the network can facilitate the transportation of jenazah and ease the burden on those involved,” he said during the launching of AMAL Kuching’s new ambulance at its operation centre at Masjid Nurul Khair, Kampung Samariang Batu, here on Sunday (Jan 8).
Although the service is free, Fadillah who is also Petra Jaya MP suggested that the public contribute to AMAL Kuching as they still need to pay monthly operating costs including maintenance and wages.
He also urged AMAL Kuching to submit a work proposal for him to approve an annual grant for the organisation to cover their operating costs.
To date, the total number of hearses (van jenazah) owned by the organisation is six, while its counterparts have 12 vans.
AMAL Kuching would send the jenazah and pass them on to their counterparts in other locations.
From there, their counterparts would use their vans to go elsewhere.
