Dr Zaliha: Factors like local customs, sensitivities and community practices have to be considered.
GUIDELINES for the implementation of multi-level graves at Muslim cemeteries in the Federal Territories are being drafted.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said it was based on a study by Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as part of efforts to address space constraints at cemeteries.
She said the study, completed in October, also included an evaluation of cemetery models in Kedah, Penang and Singapore.
“We do not want to rush into its implementation as several factors need to be considered, including local customs, sensitivities and community practices.”
Dr Zaliha hopes the results of the study will be used in drafting guidelines for the multi-level graves.
“This is something new.
“The management of these multi-level graves, for example at Penang’s Al-Jamiul Badawi Mosque, can be used as a reference, but in the Federal Territories, the approach may be different,” she said.
Dr Zaliha said this when asked in Parliament if the government had plans to open a new cemetery closer to or within Kuala Lumpur.
A decision on the matter, she said, would be finalised after an engagement session with the Minister in charge of religious affairs, the Federal Territories mufti as well as local residents.
She also thanked Jawi for taking steps to optimise existing cemeteries through expanding and rearranging grave lots at 11 sites nearing full capacity identified by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
Cemeteries in Kuala Lumpur had reached 70% capacity and was expected to last only until 2029, she said, as reported by Bernama.
She added that the Federal Territories Department (JWP) was working to expedite the opening of the new Muslim cemetery in Hulu Semenyih, expected in 2028, to meet burial needs for about 28 years.
Dr Zaliha also said the government was formulating specific policies to safeguard traditional villages in Kuala Lumpur from development pressure.
The proposed measures, she said, included detailed planning controls, community facilities, public transport, and regeneration without compromising on cultural values and character of the villages in the long-term.
She said the government was restructuring the community service allocation to establish a dedicated fund for the purpose.
Dr Zaliha added that the government was formulating a comprehensive plan to address issues of land ownership, basic facilities and development pressure, particularly in the Gombak Malay Reserve area.
