Perak to build two Hindu crematoriums

Athi Shankar | April 1, 2012

The BN-led state government has set aside RM2 million to build the two crematoriums in Buntong and Taiping.

IPOH: The lay Hindu public uproar on the Perak Barisan Nasional government to build crematoriums for the community has worked.

Two modern crematoriums are in the pipeline to be built in Buntong and Taiping Hindu cemeteries.

Menteri Besar Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir’s special advisor on Indian affairs, S Veerasingam said that the state government has set aside RM2 million to build the two crematoriums.

He said some RM1.5 million would be channelled to build a modern crematorium in Ipoh’s largest Hindu burial ground in Buntong.

The remaining RM500,000 will be used to build similar Hindu cremation structure in Taiping cemetery.

The fund has been set aside under the state Budget 2012 which was tabled and passed at the state assembly late last year.

“Early this year the state executive council has approved the project to be implemented by this year,” Veerasingam told FMT.

The Hindu Devastana Paripalana Sabha – the temple management committee of Sri Maha Mariamman Devastanam is the administrator of the 2.8ha cemetery site in Buntong, an Ipoh hamlet dominated by Tamil Hindus.

The Sabha became the caretaker of the cemetery in 1919 by virtue of a gazette issued by the then colonial government.

The graveyard caters the burial needs of some 200,000 Hindus living in the state capital.

‘Build before GE’

Previously the state government has set aside RM14.7 million to build a non-Muslim modern crematorium in Buntong graveyard, which the temple management committee initially agreed.

The state government told the temple committee then to surrender 0.2ha of the graveyard to build the crematorium.

However, due to strong objections by local Tamil community and technical discrepancies in the land title, the state government shelved the plan.

“Since the graveyard has been gazzeted as Tamil cemetery in the land title, the state government could not build a non-Muslim crematorium anyway,” explained Veerasingam.

Hindraf national secretary P Ramesh (photo) said the movement would up its pressure on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Zambry to ensure that the crematoriums be constructed before the next general election.

He said the state government, Ipoh City Council and Taiping Municipal Council have respective statutory duties to “preserve, maintain and develop” Hindu cemeteries under the National Land Code and Section 94 of the Local Government Act.

“The state authorities must build the modern crematoriums in Buntong and Taiping to cater Hindus burial rights and needs,” he told FMT.