The Star, July 24, 2013
Residents of Sungai Chua,
Kajang, are against the construction of a funeral parlour and community
hall by the Hulu Langat Hokkien Association (HLHA) at the Hokkien
cemetery along Jalan Wan Siew, Sungai Chua, Kajang.
They are surprised the building has been allowed to be built despite a notice issued by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) in April that no construction work is to take place until HLHA submits a fresh application. Work on the building began in March.
Protesting committee acting chairman Tan Yew Huat highlighted the issue to Kajang assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh recently.
“We are representing 15 neighbourhoods as well as business owners who are against the construction,” said Tan.
“Building a funeral parlour here is not in the interest of the public as it is too close for comfort and will reduce the value of houses in the area,” said Tan.
“When funeral rites are being conducted, it will be disruptive to the residents living nearby.
“Also, traffic in the area will increase and bring about adverse effects, seeing that the area is already congested,” he said, adding that they had also brought the matter to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s attention at a meeting with residents in October last year.
“Khalid instructed the council’s town and planning department to look into the issue.”
The Hokkien cemetery is managed by HLHA and was gazetted in 1906 as a cemetery for the poor. It has not received any more burials since 1926.
In June last year, HLHA announced a joint-venture with Semenyih Memorial Hills Bhd (SMH) to build a single-storey prayer hall and community hall on the premises that would double as a funeral parlour.
Semenyih Memorial Hills Bhd managing director A.K. Heng said the complex was being built as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) project and they had no intention to commercialise it.
“The Hulu Langat and Kajang areas do not have a proper funeral parlour for the Chinese community, despite the population comprising 60% Chinese,” he said, adding that it was open to the public.
“We have also taken into account problems such as traffic and have reserved ample space for this,” said Heng.
Meanwhile, MPKj corporate affairs and public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman confirmed that the town and planning department had issued a notice in April saying no work was to be done pending further discussions.
“The matter will be raised at the Non-Islamic Affairs Committee meeting soon,” he said.
HLHA could not be reached for comments.
They are surprised the building has been allowed to be built despite a notice issued by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) in April that no construction work is to take place until HLHA submits a fresh application. Work on the building began in March.
Protesting committee acting chairman Tan Yew Huat highlighted the issue to Kajang assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh recently.
“We are representing 15 neighbourhoods as well as business owners who are against the construction,” said Tan.
“Building a funeral parlour here is not in the interest of the public as it is too close for comfort and will reduce the value of houses in the area,” said Tan.
“When funeral rites are being conducted, it will be disruptive to the residents living nearby.
“Also, traffic in the area will increase and bring about adverse effects, seeing that the area is already congested,” he said, adding that they had also brought the matter to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s attention at a meeting with residents in October last year.
“Khalid instructed the council’s town and planning department to look into the issue.”
The Hokkien cemetery is managed by HLHA and was gazetted in 1906 as a cemetery for the poor. It has not received any more burials since 1926.
In June last year, HLHA announced a joint-venture with Semenyih Memorial Hills Bhd (SMH) to build a single-storey prayer hall and community hall on the premises that would double as a funeral parlour.
Semenyih Memorial Hills Bhd managing director A.K. Heng said the complex was being built as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) project and they had no intention to commercialise it.
“The Hulu Langat and Kajang areas do not have a proper funeral parlour for the Chinese community, despite the population comprising 60% Chinese,” he said, adding that it was open to the public.
“We have also taken into account problems such as traffic and have reserved ample space for this,” said Heng.
Meanwhile, MPKj corporate affairs and public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman confirmed that the town and planning department had issued a notice in April saying no work was to be done pending further discussions.
“The matter will be raised at the Non-Islamic Affairs Committee meeting soon,” he said.
HLHA could not be reached for comments.
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