Edwin Tong on Coroners (Amendment) Bill

Coroners need not view all bodies after a death is reported, under the Coroners (Amendment) Bill. Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong, who outlined the key changes during the second reading of the Bill in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 5), said the viewing of the body by the Coroner will be discretionary rather than mandatory. This will expedite the release of the body to the family and save resources for the Police, the Health Sciences Authority and the Coroner. He said the viewing of the body by the Coroner may not be necessary in all cases in order to correctly identify the body. There are other safeguards, which leverage technology, to ensure the correct identification of bodies. He said the Bill streamlines the coronial process and introduces greater flexibility. It is the latest instalment in Singapore's efforts to improve its system to better serve the public interest.