Frequently Asked Questions

1.  Who can pledge for body donation?

A:  Malaysian citizen aged 18 and above can pledge for body donation, except

     the following: 

     (a) Death due to infectious diseases by the statutory suffering according to

           the notification requirement by the Department of Health Disease

           Control.

     (b) Upon death, the body has large wound which does not heal (to be

           determined by SMC).

     (c) Drowning death.

     (d) Have already undergone post-mortem or organs donation.

     (e) Committed suicide.

     (f) Objection by family members.

     (g) Foreigner who is not permanent resident in Malaysia.

     (h) Death in Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah, Sawarak and foreign country.

 

2.  How to pledge as body donor?

A:  A Pledge Form is to be downloaded from the website. Other than the donor,

     2 trustees and 1 witness from immediate family members are required to

     complete the Pledge Form. Signed Pledge Form with photocopy of IC (donor

     only) are to be couriered to SMC by Poslaju or any other courier service.

     Under exceptional cases and upon request, SMC may arrange a meeting, if

     feasible, with family members of donor to explain in detail the body donation

     program. Immediate family members of prospect donor including parents,

     spouse and children are required to attend the meetings to familiar themselves

     on the program. Pledge Form will only be executed if family members are

     agreeable on the pledge proposal by prospect donor.

3.  I already pledged as an Organ Donor. Can I pledge as a Silent Mentor

     (Body Donor) as well ?

A:  Yes. However, it must be understood that Organ donation and Body donation are

     separate programs. In the event a donor signs up for both programs, priority will

     always be given to organ donation for the purpose of saving lives. Acceptance for

     body donation is dependent on the body conditions (age, medical history,

     physical body condition etc) at the time of TERMINAL ILLNESS. In general, once a

     patient is eligible as organ donor, he/she is no longer acceptable for the Silent Mentor

     Program.  

 

4.  If the death occurred in places other than University Malaya Medical

      Centre, how the body is to be transferred to SMC?

A:  SMC will arrange logistic to transfer the body back to SMC within 8 hours

      of death under SMC’ own cost. This is inclusive of death occurred in

      Peninsular except Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah & Sarawak.

 

5.  When, who and how to inform SMC on the death of pledged donor?

A:  Family member should inform SMC @ 019-282 6608 immediately upon death

     or prior to likely death of donor.

 

6.  Any document required before body is transferred to SMC?

A:  If the death occurred in hospital other than UMMC, family member will get

     the burial permit issued by relevant hospital on the spot.

     If the death occurred in places other than hospital, immediate family

     members of the deceased will need to obtain burial permit from local

     authority or police station via 2 steps below:

     (i) Call the ambulance via emergency contact no. 999 to request verification

          of death. Medical officer of the ambulance will verify death and issue

          Death Verification Note after checking through the medical history and

          infectious disease report of the deceased surrendered by the family

          member.

     (ii) Proceed to the nearest police station with IC of deceased, medical history,

          infectious disease report & Death Verification Note to lodge a death

          report. A Burial Permit will be issued by police officer after the process of

          lodging the death report by the family is completed.

     Family member is reminded to keep a copy of medical history report of donor

     with critical or chronic illness at all times before death. This is to ensure that

     the issuance of burial permit is expedited upon death, and body is transferred

     back to SMC within 8 hours of death.

 

7.  Who will apply for the death certificate?

A:  Immediate family members of donor will apply death certificate from local

      National Registration Dept on the next working day.

 

8.   If religious rites are needed by family member upon death of donors, is

      there any memorial hall allocated by SMC for that purpose?

A:   Family members may arrange religious rites at any memorial hall or parlour at

      their own expense during this period.

9.  How the body of donor is being stored in SMC after their death and for

      how long?

A:  Upon arrival of body at SMC within 8 hours of death of donor, the body will

      be cleansed and stored in a deep-freezing freezer around -25 degrees

      Celsius in SMC. The body can be stored for as long as 1 year before it is

      initiated for surgical simulation program.

 

10.  Will the family members be invited for the surgical simulation program

        organized by SMC?

A:    A home visit is scheduled two months before the simulation program by

       students. Family members will be invited for the brief introduction of silent

       mentor by students a day before the simulation program. Family members

       will be invited to pay a last respect to their loved one during the initiation

       ceremony on day one of program. Family members will not be participating

       in the three day professional training program. 

 

11.  Will the family members be invited for funeral services which will be

        falls on a Sunday?

A:    Yes. Family members, faculty members, trainers, students and Tzu-Chi

        volunteers (if related) will accompany Silent Mentors to complete the final

        part of their journey before cremation.

 

12.  Does family member need to bear any cost associated with this Silent

        Mentor Program?

A:    Family member needs to bear the cost of religious rites arranged by them

        for Silent Mentor. No religious rites covered under the SMC Silent Mentor

        Training Program. Besides, the ashes of Silent Mentor kept in an urn

        provided by Xiao-En Group will be given to family member one day after

        the cremation. The program is considered ended at the time of hand over

        of ashes of Silent Mentor to family member. Any cost incurred beyond this

        point will be borne by family member.

 

13.  What are the other items sponsored by SMC/Xiao-En Group under this

        program?

A:    Saved from the above, Xiao-En Group will sponsor the coffin use for

        cremation of Silent Mentor and hearse. 

        Meals will be provided by SMC/Xiao-En Memorial Park to family members

        upon their arrival in SMC/Xiao-En Memorial Park before and after the

        professional training program.

         Accommodation, if needed, will be arranged by family members themselves

         at their own expense.

 

14.  If family members wish to spread the ashes of silent mentor after

        cremation into the sea, can SMC provide such services?

A:    Yes. SMC will arrange to have all these ashes of Silent Mentor spread into

        Straits of Melaka at Port Klang under family of Silent Mentor’s own expense.