KOTA KINABALU: The free hearse van service operated by the Sabah Charity and Funeral Association or better known as Team Amal has helped many underprivileged families.
Its founder Masrul Guding, 31, said so far, the team had managed the remains of 125 Muslims and eight non-Muslims, including 18 Covid-19 victims.
A native of Lahad Datu, Masrul said he came up with the idea of providing the service after realising that the cost of sending the remains home from the hospital, was quite high, which is about RM1,000.
When the team started operating in January this year, he said it was only using a second-hand van belonging to his cousin Soffian Jais, 36, and with a modification cost of RM20,000, they brought the first body from Likas Hospital to Sepanggar.
“At that time, the van was not ready to be used as a hearse because there was no coffin, so Soffian and I took out our savings to modify the first van.
“After that, there were generous individuals who donated vans apart from donations from the public. Now we have five vans and one of the vans is being used in the Lahad Datu district so that we can help the community there as well,“ he told Bernama.
Sharing the experience of carrying the remains of those who died due to Covid-19, Masrul said driving while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) was very challenging, especially when it involved long-distance travelling such as to Kudat.
He said Team Amal was the fourth group at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) to have been accredited by the Ministry of Health to carry the remains of Covid-19 victims.
Masrul, who is assisted by 15 volunteers, said he and the team members were grateful that none of them had been infected with Covid-19, so far.
Meanwhile, Team Amal plans to provide a lorry worth about RM250,000, that can be used to facilitate the bathing of bodies.
“I also welcome youths who are interested to join us as volunteers, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic period,“ he said. -Bernama
