LIPIS: The next of kin of two Orang Asli women, who died due to Covid-19 at a hospital here, could not bring their remains home because of the absence of an Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) vehicle.
One of the women Erra Fazira Hamzah, died yesterday. Her husband, Amri Bah Jong, said there were no vehicles available to send her remains to their home in Kampung Sinderut, which is located 170km from here.
"I have been here for three days waiting for my sick wife before she passed away in the morning (yesterday). I have no money to use for hiring a vehicle.
"My wife's body has been permitted to be taken home by the hospital, but there's no vehicle available to take her back because there are no means of transport to go to Kampung Sinderut," he said when met at the Lipis Hospital.
Amri tried contacting the relevant authorities, but he still failed to get any assistance.
"I was informed that the authority in charge of this matter has no vehicles to send my wife's body back to the village.
"I was made to understand that the vehicle operated by the government agency in charge of Orang Asli affairs has broken down," he told Berita Harian.
Rosnan Bah Ding, 44, an Orang Asli from Kampung Lenjang, faced the same issue as there was no assistance from the same agency to transport the remains of his wife, Wak Sai Bah Ema, 48, back to their home located about 86km away.
He said his home is a five-hour journey from Kuala Lipis town.
"My wife received treatment after suspected Covid-19 infection and she died two days ago. Doctors allowed for her body to be taken home, but the problem is I don't have a vehicle.
"There are no other vehicles available for the transportation of her her body. I requested assistance from other parties too, but they did not answer my calls."
Rosnan said the authorities should be more attentive to the welfare of the Orang Asli, especially in matters of death. He said authorities should ensure that remains could be brought back to the next of kin's homes for burial.
"I have run out of money to rent another vehicle because I have been out of funds since waiting for my late wife, who was hospitalised prior to her death. It is distressing," he said.
Meanwhile, Pahang Jakoa director Johari Alwi said the department addressed the matter when they were notified about the deaths of the two women. However, he admitted there were delays in services due to the Pahang Jakoa vehicle being in Pekan.
"The department's branch in Lipis attempted to seek help from other parties, but due to the fact that their deaths were because of Covid-19, and because they needed to be sent to the interior, there was no one who could help."
"The department was informed about the cases, and we instructed the vehicle to go to the Lipis Hospital from Pekan. However, the vehicle needed to be serviced first before it could do that."
Johari pledged that the department would help to transport the bodies of the two women by today.
"Jakoa is always ready to help in the transport of remains of the Orang Asli to whichever location. We have done this a thousand times before as we have transported the remains of Orang Asli to wherever the families want them to be delivered.
"Most times, Jakoa staff handle things right up to the burial processes," he said, while urging all quarters to avoid making speculations about the issue.