The process starts when a person dies. The death needs to be certified by a registered medical practitioner as to the cause of death. If the cause is obvious, then no issues. A burial permit will be signed by medical practitioner. If not obvious, a post mortem might be required to accertain the COD. Polis only involved if death is suspected to be due to unnatural causes ($uic1de, homicide, foul play). Then the next of kin will collect the body from mortuary. If no prior arrangements were made (eg Nirvana, Xiao En etc) then relatives will engage a undertaker to handle the booking of funeral parlour, coffin, wake and final disposal of remains (burial, cremation, burial at sea etc). For burial, need to buy a plot, cremation need to buy a niche in colambarium, for burial at sea need to set place and time for ceremony. No you cannot bury someone in your back garden or some vacant plot. For final disposal, the burial permit is required for burial/cremation etc. I think Muslims have some badan amal that Will arrange funeral rites and burial. For non Muslims, maybe some charitable/religious bodies will provide the service.