KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The Ministry of Health’s (MOH) standard operating procedures (SOP) must be followed when repatriating the bodies of Malaysians who have died abroad as a result of Covid-19, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

He added that the repatriation procedure must also abide by the SOP set by the country where the person died.

"So far, we don’t have any deaths abroad.

"(If there are any deaths abroad) MOH will provide information on the SOP detailing how the body is to be brought back to Malaysia.

"We will also have to abide by the SOPs set by the respective countries where the deaths occurred. Both countrys’ SOPs must be followed,” said Ismail during the Defence Ministry’s daily press conference.

He added that, based on his understanding, MOH allows for Malaysian decedents to be brought home.

"But because the death happened in a foreign country, the process of repatriation will also depend on the SOP of a particular country,” he said.