Obtain a Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD)

At the hospital

A doctor at the hospital will certify the cause of death if the cause of death is known and it’s natural. You’ll need the ID of the deceased for this. The Certificate of Death (COD) will then be issued on the spot. Subsequently you can contact a funeral home to prepare the body for the funeral.

If the doctor can’t certify the cause of death, you can either call the police to send the body to Mortuary@HSA (at Block 9 Singapore General Hospital) in a Police Hearse or the funeral home.

At home

Get your family doctor or neighbourhood GP to make a house call to certify the death. Some clinics have 24-hour house-call services you can tap on. If the doctor can’t certify the cause of death, the body needs to be sent to the mortuary.

Overseas

A death abroad needs to be registered with the relevant authorities in that country. Then, there exists 2 options: (1) either bring the body home for burial or cremation, or (2) cremate the body abroad and bring home the ashes.

If you wish to bring the body home, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can give you advice on finding undertakers in that country and the cost of repatriation. The funeral director in Singapore will then make all the arrangements to receive the body in Singapore. This will cost an extra $500 on top of the funeral package.

It’s not cheap to bring a body home. Figures are hard to come by because it depends on where the body is repatriated from. According to IATA (a worldwide airline trade association), a body needs to be embalmed for it to travel outside of a country. That cost, the cost of preparing the body and coffin for travel, and flight fees will vary from country to country, likely to cost $10,000 and more.

If you choose to proceed, contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who can give you advice on finding undertakers in that country and the cost of repatriation. The funeral director in Singapore will then make all the arrangements to receive the body in Singapore. This will cost an extra $500 on top of the funeral package.

Register the death

The CCOD is used to register the death at the following locations:

• Police Divisional Headquarters
• Neighbourhood Police Centres
• Neighbourhood Police Posts
• Registry of Births and Deaths

Registration of deaths in hospitals can also be done at:

• Alexandra Hospital
• Changi General Hospital
• Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
• KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
• National University Hospital
• Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
• Sengkang General Hospital
• Singapore General Hospital
• Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Once the death is registered, the centre will keep the CCOD, while you’ll be issued a Death Certificate. All this needs to done within 24 hours of the death. You will need the death certificate to make arrangements for an obituary in the newspapers, the funeral, and the burial or cremation.

Prepare the obituary (optional)

You will have to decide if you want to announce the death in local newspapers. This is a good way of letting all friends and relatives know about the details of the wake and funeral. It costs from $1,348.20 (the smallest size) to place an obituary in the paper or choose to do an announcement on our website

https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/after-death/post-death-matters/placing-an-obituary

The Asian identity is largely conservative and superstitious. People tend to shun away the topic of death as it often carries a negative and inauspicious superstition, in fear that talking about such taboo issues would invite bad luck. In a similar vein, just as how important it is to avoid taboo topics in fear of sweeping away “luck”, giving the deceased a proper send-off is of equal or as much importance. Why are funeral rites important?

1. Traditions and religious beliefs – Honouring ones roots and on the premise that a send-off in a particular fashion would ensure that the deceased can have a smooth sailing and blessed afterlife
2. Closure – A ceremonial setting where loved ones pay their last respects and offer their condolences are times for the grieving family to better come to fact that their loved one has passed on while gaining solace from others. Some may also say funeral rites are a way of the living “making up” to the dead, for a part of what they were unable to do whilst the deceased was still alive

Living in a cosmopolitan urban jungle like Singapore, it is no surprise that the country is rich in traditions and culture. Unique to each race is its own culture and traditions which makes each unique. Singapore is also a city-state known for its rich religious diversity – to name a few such as the likes of Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and not forgetting Buddhism. These differences in spiritual beliefs and the offering practices of each race thus makes the planning and execution of funeral rites in Singapore vastly different, with each of these unique groups adopting various funeral practices.

Engage a funeral director

Consider the following:

• Burial or cremation
• Religious rites
• Venue of funeral
• Number of days
• Duration of wake
• Funeral package extras (Embalming, casket, transport, tent and setup, portable toilets)

Check out the Vendor Page for a comprehensive list of funeral services provider for your needs

Burial or Cremation?

In Singapore, 82% of all deaths are cremated. 73% are cremated at government-owned Mandai Crematorium and 9% at privately owned crematoria (Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery and Tse Toh Aum Temple).

Funeral Venues

If the funeral wake extends to more than 7 days after death, prior written permission must be obtained from the National Environment Agency (NEA).

What to wear?

You have to dress modestly so that you will not disrespect the family of the deceased and their feelings. When you are trying to finalize your funeral dress and considering what to wear you basically want to be respectful and modest towards the family of the deceased.
Below are some of the tips that will help you to finalize your outfit for such an occasion:

• Try to wear dull colours (black, dark green, white)
• Try to wear simple accessories
• Your patterns should be simple
• Don’t choose something that is too casual

Condolence Flowers

For funerals in Singapore, it is essential to observe the sending of appropriate condolences flowers. The safest and most widely accepted are condolences wreaths to symbolise the eternity of life. Flowers help create an environment filled with peace and solemnity as well as comfort to the mourning family. It is important to choose the right type of flowers with the right colours. Different flower colours offer different meanings and symbolism depending on the tradition, beliefs and religion.

Rituals and customs

In Chinese societies, the rites and rituals at the funeral are taken very seriously and these customs have an important value in Chinese culture. It is believed that if the customs are not followed or the arrangements were not according to the standards of Chinese traditions than this may lead to inviting bad luck for the family members of the deceased. The incomplete arrangement can bring disaster to the deceased house where his family members are living.

The mourning and rituals are performed up to 100 days after the day of the death. It is believed that the soul of the deceased visits his house on the 7th day after his death. On the 7th day, it is necessary that all the family members should be at home in their rooms and there should be powder at the entrance of the room. To end the mourning period a prayer ceremony is held after the 100 days of the death. The mourning is prayers are kept for 100 days as it is considered that in this time the soul of the deceased is reborn as another human.

Unique to each race is its own culture and traditions which makes each funeral procession unique. Spiritual beliefs and offering practices of each race thus makes the planning and execution of funeral rites in Singapore vastly different.

As below are the 7 main religions and funeral processions:

Christianity

• The service is usually carried out at a church, crematorium or cemetery and will include prayers, a sermon, readings, hymns and sometimes music or poems
• Typically, an eulogy is also delivered by a loved one to reminisce the times spent with the deceased
• The pastor usually shares a word from the bible and engages the present in prayers to send off the dead while offering comfort and support for mourners

Catholicism

• In a Catholic funeral, the family traditionally holds a wake for the deceased person for 3 to 7 days to allow other family and relatives to come and pay their last respect before interment. It is a customary tradition and belief that the wake should last for 3, 5, or 7 days. An odd number is significant for grief for the Chinese-Catholic.
• Visitors will be given a red thread that they can wear around the finger. After leaving the wake, visitors will let the red thread slip off the finger before they reach their house.

Buddhism

• Buddhist monks are expected to perform chanting on the wake and on the last night of the funeral wake. Aside from the white Buddhist funeral flowers, family, relatives, and friends may also bring food and fruit offerings for the deceased. Other common and traditional funeral necessities are joss sticks, joss stick urn, lotus candles, joss paper sandalwood, and sandalwood powder.
• At the wake, a bucket of water containing fresh flowers is prepared to be used for cleansing. It has been believed that the water can cleanse away negativity brought by the funeral to the visitors. Red thread is also used to ensure safety and protection from evil spirits.
• Visitors are required to wear white t-shirts as mourning clothes on the day of funerals.

Taoism

• The most common trends in Taoist funerals include the funeral rites being performed by the Taoist Priest.
• In a Taoist funeral wake, the funeral director is assigned to provide all the necessary funeral services because the family of the deceased person is beset by grief and sorrow. There may be various Taoist denominations with different rites and rituals for the funerals, there are also some common funeral rites.
• Based on traditions and belief, the funeral wake lasts for 3, 5, or 7 days. An altar is set up with a lamp on top to signify sacredness and immortality. There are 2 large candles on the table together with some cups filled with tea, water, and rice. They also have 5 plates of fruits to signify the 5 elements. In the center of the table, an incense burner is set up.

Islam

• The rites are followed in accordance with their religious laws or commonly known as Syariah. It is important and traditional for them to handle the body with the utmost care.
• Part of the Islamic traditional funeral rituals is the washing and shrouding of the body of the deceased person. This procedure is called a ghusl. According to Muslim law and religion, this procedure is done by the family member or by someone of the same gender. The body is washed with water three times to ensure that the body is clean. This is followed by kafan, the shrouding of the body. It is the wrapping of the body in plain white cloth coated with camphor, non-alcoholic perfume, and sandalwood powder. This is not just a ritual but a significance of dignity and privacy of the deceased person.
• The next part of the Islamic funeral rituals is the funeral prayer. The congregation performs the prayer for the deceased person, and this is called jenazah. The funeral traditions of jenazah should be performed at home of the family or at their mosque. It is led by Imam while facing Qiblat or the direction of Mecca. An immediate family gets Muslim funeral flowers.
• The last part of the funeral rituals is the burial. In Islamic burial, the body is placed in a coffin and brought to the cemetery. To bury the body, it is gently lowered in the grave without the coffin. The body is facing Qiblat. The grave is, then, covered fully with soil. To end the funeral rituals, a funeral sermon is said at the grave.

Hinduism

• Depending on sects and sub-sects, the Hinduism funeral rituals vary in practices and procedures. It is a tradition for the people in Hindu faith to die at home surrounded by the family. A prayer vigil is performed until the time of death. Hindu mourners use Hindu funeral flowers to adorn the body and to prepare for the cremation.
• In Hindu funeral traditions, the body of the deceased person remains at home for 24 hours, and after this, cremation is performed. They scatter the ashes on water. It could be a sacred body of water or one that is important and significant to the deceased person.
• At the funeral wake, mourners wear an appropriate dress, and the chief mourner leads them. White clothes are appropriate and black is not accepted. Visitors are expected to attend the special funeral ceremony 10 days after to liberate and free the soul of the deceased person. They can bring fruits to the ceremony.

Sikhism

• The Sikh beliefs on death and funeral are distinct. They believe that the soul never dies but reunited to their God, Waheguru the Wondrous Giver of Knowledge.
• In Antam Sanskaar, the Sikh funeral, the funeral ceremony is focused on the celebration of life, not on loss, as the soul reunites with Waheguru.
• Immediately after the death, Sikh funeral traditions begin by bathing the body and dressing it in clean, decent clothes. If the deceased person is Amrithdhari Sikh, the Kakaars or the articles of Sikh faith worn by the person should not be taken off from the body.
• The family may opt for an open casket to allow family and relatives to see the person before the burial. The family may also have the body surrounded and adorned with Sikh funeral flowers.
• Funeral rites and traditions in these ethnic groups are strictly adhered to and followed in order to bring rest and peace to the soul of the deceased person. These rites are expected to be observed carefully up to the last detail no matter the religion, beliefs, and ethnicity the family belongs. Respect is given to the deceased person, as well as to the bereaved family.