Taking up burial land

1 Alam Flora sub-contractors have been using land meant for burial plots for free for 10 years.2 StarMetro’s report in 2012. 3 Despite repeated notices by DBKL and FT Ministry, the Alam Flora sub-contractors are staying put without paying a single sen.4 DBKL had marked the hoardings, which surround the area occupied by the contractors, with a demolition date in 2014.5 An Alam Flora garbage truck parked inside the cemetery. The leachate from rubbish overflows into the burial ground.— Photos: P.NATHAN/The Star

IMAGINE this scenario – you allow your friend to stay for free in your house for a short period until they find alternative accommodation. But 10 years later, they are still “squatting” there and refuse to move out despite numerous reminders.

This is the dilemma faced by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) with a “friend” who is currently occupying a piece of land at the Christian cemetery in Cheras.

According to a source from the Federal Territories Ministry, DBKL was unable to get the occupants to move out as they have “powerful friends” in the Government.

“Two previous Kuala Lumpur mayors were not able to evict them; so I will not be surprised if the current mayor face similar challenges to get them to vacate the place,’’ said the source.

The “friends” in this case are two Alam Flora sub-contractors who were allowed to use the land free of charge by DBKL back in June 2006.

The contractors occupy the land to park their garbage trucks, equipment as well as use the space as living quarters for their workers.

The land, which belonged to the Federal Territory Land and Mines Department (PTG), was given to DBKL many years ago to be utilised as they deemed fit.

The special arrangement made by DBKL’s Landscape and Recreation Department a decade ago was meant as a temporary measure until DBKL needed the land.

DBKL had marked the hoardings, which surround the area occupied by the contractors, with a demolition date in 2014

That need arose four years ago when StarMetro exposed a series of articles on the lack of burial plots and the illegal selling of these plots through middlemen which DBKL promised to investigate the matter.

Then Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan visited the site in 2012 and ordered the contractors to relocate.

Notices were issued to enable DBKL to start clearing the land.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz, who was the socio-economic development deputy director-general back then, established a special committee to scrutinise and manage government-owned cemeteries in Kuala Lumpur.

The lack of burial space in Kuala Lumpur has become a matter of serious concern as the government-owned cemeteries are running out of space.

The situation is particularly grave at the 100-year-old Christian cemetery in Cheras where all 22,500 plots have been taken up.

Additional plots allocated in areas A and B, which was opened in 1996, has also been filled up.

The practice of pre-booking of burial plots had ceased since the year 2000.

An Alam Flora garbage truck parked inside the cemetery. The leachate from rubbish overflows into the burial ground

It was reported that if nothing was done to address the situation, government-run cemeteries, including the Muslim ones, are expected to be exhausted within the next 10 years.

Following the exposé, the Federal Territories Ministry had identified a plot of land next to the cemetery that could cater to another 1,000 burial plots.

However, part of the land was being utilised by the Alam Flora sub-contractors who refused to move out despite being issued notices to do so including the latest one that was issued last November.

When contacted, Amin Nordin told StarMetro that the contractors could not stay there indefinitely.

“They cannot be there,’’ he said, adding that “someone else gave the approval in 2006.’’

“I have to check the background of this issue. It involves Alam Flora which is under Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) now.

“I have to check who gave the approval,’’ he said.

Despite repeated notices by DBKL and FT Ministry, the Alam Flora subcontractors are staying put without paying a single sen.

One of the sub-contractors occupying the land was Perusahaan Subar Sdn Bhd.

Its director Subadron Abd Aziz said he was aware that he had overstayed, but defended himself by saying that: “Yes, I have been there long, but I am doing DBKL work only, I am not doing other things.’’

When asked if he would be moving out, Subadron said: “I know I have to go but I need another six months,’’ he added.

Attempts to contact Adam Abdullah, who is the managing director of the other sub-contractor Adam Sanitary Services Sdn Bhd, proved futile.

A check with the Companies Commision of Malaysia (SSM) indicated that Adam Sanitary Services had been served a notice under section 308 (1) of the Companies Act 1965 to be struck off the company for being inactive.

Documents show that the first notice was dated April 29, 2013. A second notice was filed under section 308 (2) on Oct 31, 2014.