Section 29
Funeral benefit
of Employees' Social Security Act 1969
If an insured person dies as a result of an employment injury or while he is in receipt of disablement benefit under this Act, or if an insured person suffering from invalidity dies while in receipt of invalidity pension, or if an insured person who has not attained sixty years of age but has completed a full or reduced qualifying period as specified in subsection (3) or (4), dies, a funeral benefit of an amount as prescribed by the Minister from time to time by regulations shall be paid to one or more of the following persons:
(a)
the widow (if there are two or more widows, the widows share equally the funeral benefit);
(b)
the widower;
(c)
the eldest surviving son or adopted son;
(d)
the eldest surviving daughter or adopted daughter;
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(e)
the parent (if there are both parents, the parents share equally the funeral benefit).
(2)
Where there are no such persons as mentioned in paragraph (1)(a), (b), (c), (d) or (e), any other person who actually incurs the expenditure of the funeral shall be paid the expenses of the funeral of the deceased insured person or the amount as prescribed by the Minister under subsection (1), whichever is the lesser:
Provided that the claim for such benefit shall be made within three months of the death of the insured person or within such extended period as the Organization or any officer or authority authorized by it in this behalf may allow:
Provided further that, notwithstanding the above conditions, any disagreement over the question of to whom the payment of funeral benefit should be made, the decision of the Director General or that of an officer authorized by him shall be final.
(3)
An insured person who has not attained sixty years of age shall be deemed to have completed the full qualifying period under subsection (1) if—
(a)
monthly contributions have been paid in respect of him for not less than twenty-four months during the period of forty consecutive months preceding the month in which the insured person dies; or
(b)
monthly contributions have been paid in respect of him for not less than two-thirds of the number of complete months comprised in the period falling between the date when contributions first become payable by him under this Act and the date of his death, provided that the total number of monthly contributions paid during the said period shall be at least twenty-four.
(4)
An insured person who has not attained sixty years of age shall be deemed to have completed a reduced qualifying period under subsection (1) if monthly contributions have been paid in respect of him for not less than one-third of the number of complete months
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comprised in the period falling between the date when contributions first become payable by him under this Act and the date of his death, provided that the total number of monthly contributions paid during the said period shall be at least twenty-four.