Land being cleared for the ECRL project in Batu Arang, Selangor. — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star
THE Chinese community in Batu Arang wants the alignment of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project that is currently under construction and passing through the town, to be moved as it is too close to the cemetery grounds.
They claimed that the rail reserve land for the project was only about 5m away from the Batu Arang Chinese Cemetery.
They are concerned that the project’s close proximity would disturb the geomantic harmony of the cemetery and bring bad luck.
Batu Arang Chinese Community Cemetery Association chairman Hew Ha, 76, said the cemetery was estimated to be about 100 years old, comprising three plots of land with over 1,000 graves.
“We believe that a burial ground with good feng shui will bring good fortune to the grave owner’s descendants.
“If the burial ground of our ancestors is affected by the project, we fear that bad luck will fall on us and our future generations,” he said.
About 100 residents gathered near the site recently to call for the ECRL realignment.
Also present to lend their support were Selayang MP William Leong and Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat.
Leong said he learnt about the matter in December last year and had met the project contractor immediately.
He added that the contractor gave a verbal commitment that none of the graves would be affected.
“We have been discussing this issue with the Gombak Land and District Office and was advised to get all the burial grounds gazetted as soon as possible, before requesting the ECRL realignment.
“Only one of the three plots of burial land was gazetted.
“So in the government records, the two other burial grounds are stated as government land.
“We are preparing to get the two plots of land gazetted as burial ground in order to put in a request to move the ECRL alignment,” he said.
Leong said the Transport Ministry and state government were aware of the matter, and that he would meet with Gombak District and Land Office representatives on March 10 to discuss the issue further.
