SEREMBAN, May 26 (Sin Chew Daily) — Three sons residing in Singapore were unable to attend their father's funeral service due to the coronavirus lockdown.

However, thanks to Zoom, they were able to join the cloud memorial service.

Huang Zhi Jia, 80, a retired senior assistant of Chan Wa Seremban Secondary School, passed away on May 19.

Besides the eldest son Huang Guang Yao, his three other sons residing in Singapore were unable to attend the funeral in person.

Friends and relatives from other states were also unable to attend the funeral.

Guang Yao told Sin Chew Daily his younger siblings had been unable to return home after the Chinese New Year. When his father passed away, the brothers suggested to use Zoom to have a virtual memorial service.

"We connect with many friends and relatives via Zoom, not only the brothers in Singapore and the relatives in other states, but also an aunt in the United Kingdom, relatives in Hong Kong as well as my late father's students," he said.

Guang Yao said the mother and brothers were having prayers together via WhatsApp video chat for their father before he passed away in a hospital on May 19.

"Family members were unable to visit him in the hospital but my brothers and I were virtually with my father. We have no regrets!

"If not because of Zoom, the entire wake service might have been attended by only a couple of people. Many were unable to attend the memorial service,'' he added.

The funeral service planner set up a projector with a giant screen in the hall to facilitate a cloud memorial service. The audience at various places joined the pastor and others for the prayers.

Yan Xiang Ling, the person-in-charge at 99 Funeral Services said the company opted to use Zoom for friends and family members to attend the cloud memorial service.

Due to the MCO, the number of people attending a memorial service has been restricted by the government.