Kuala lumpur: The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) has sought to reassure the public that Muslim burial services will not be privatised under the Federal Territories Public Cemetery Development Project. JAWI director Hanifuddin Roslan stated that the land at Lot PT3458, in Hulu Semenyih, will remain under the Federal Lands Commissioner and has been designated as a 90.12-hectare public cemetery.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the cemetery development is expected to be completed in 2029, after which it will be handed over to JAWI for management. Hanifuddin Roslan emphasized that JAWI will manage all burial affairs, including unclaimed bodies, burials, and cemetery maintenance, similar to its current role at the existing Raudhatul Sakinah Muslim cemeteries.
The project is part of a MADANI Government initiative to address the shortage of burial land for Muslims. It is being implemented through a land-swap arrangement between Route Edge Sdn Bhd and the MADANI Government. As part of this arrangement, the company will construct a 4.34km access road linking Sungai Lalang to the Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (SILK) and provide a public cemetery site on the specified plot.
The new cemetery, designed following the Raudhatul Sakinah cemetery model, will offer up to 104,000 burial plots, meeting burial needs for up to 28 years. The company will also develop various facilities at the site, including an administrative office, a prayer hall, a funeral management area, quarters, a security post, and related infrastructure.
Hanifuddin expressed hope that this clarification will help Muslims understand the necessity for new burial sites in the Federal Territory, ensuring that public cemetery capacity can meet current and future demands amid decreasing land availability.
Concerns were previously raised by Federal Territories PAS regarding the project's implementation through a public-private partnership. Issues involving management rights, the concession period, and fee structures were highlighted, with assurances sought to prevent the commercialisation of the Muslim cemetery.