Auditing Muslim cemeteries in KL

Nor Hisham signing a plaque to offically open the new office and surau at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery as Fawziah Holdings director Datuk Fawziah Abdul Karim looks on.

AN AUDIT committee will be set up soon to decide on much-needed upgrades of Muslim cemeteries in the city.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the committee would identify cemeteries that need upgrading.

The committee will comprise representatives from the Federal Territories Religious Department (Jawi) and Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council.

Nor Hisham said some cemeteries under the supervision of mosques were in bad condition due to financial constraints.

Over the past three years, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had hired contractors to upkeep some Muslim cemeteries.

Improvements will range from facility and infrastructure upgrades such as new signage, walkways, gazebos and fencing.

The new double-storey office for the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery.

“I will ensure DBKL takes action. By early next month, a minimum of two cemeteries will get new signage,” said Nor Hisham during the official opening of a new office and surau at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery.

The cemetery is the first of 29 in Kuala Lumpur to be reconditioned with a new office, surau, workers’ rest room, toilets, rubbish collection room and repaved roads at a cost of RM900,000. The two-year project was completed in May.

Nor Hisham also received contributions from Fawziah Holdings in the form of nine gazebos costing RM50,000.

The gazebos were built in various parts of the cemetery to shelter visitors and workers.

Meanwhile, DBKL Health and Environment Department assistant administrator Mohd Syamsul Qamar Sabaruddin said the cemetery only had 300 vacant burial plots.He added that the Jalan Kuari Cheras Muslim Cemetery had run out of burial plots.

The cemeteries in Jalan Ampang and Jalan Kuari are the only ones under the responsibility of the Kuala Lumpur mayor’s office while six are managed by Jawi and another 21 by mosques supervised by Jawi.