Hindraf fumes over crematorium plan

The Perak state government's plan to cut off a plot from a Hindu cemetery to build a crematorium for non-Muslims does not go down well with Hindraf.

IPOH: Hindraf Makkal Sakti is fuming over the Perak state government’s plan to cut off a plot of the city’s largest Hindu cemetery in Buntong to build a state of the art crematorium for all non-Muslims.

Hindraf Perak chief P Ramesh slammed the move as not only a blatant violation of Hindu rights, but a “reflection of the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional’s racist policy.”

He called on the state government to build its crematorium with gas-powered incinerators for non-Muslims elsewhere on a fresh land.

“After all Perak has vast idle lands,” he told FMT during a visit to the cemetery.

The civil rights movement urged the state government to build a new exclusively modern Hindu crematorium instead at the site and place it under the management of the Ipoh City Council.

“We don’t want mandore organisations to handle it to profiteer,” Ramesh said, adding that Hindraf also wanted the traditional cremation facilities maintained.

He pointed out that under Section 94 of the Local Government Act 1976, all Hindu burial grounds and crematoriums must be managed by local authorities.

“The assessment rates paid to local councils are for all municipality services including cemeteries and burial grounds. The government cannot shortchange Hindu rate payers and deprive us our legitimate rights,” he said.

Ramesh was also furious that Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir and state executive councillor in charge of non-Islamic affairs Dr Mah Hang Soon had not shown any interest in resolving the issue.

Hindraf sent separate memorandums to Zambry and Mah over the past two months. A meeting was also held with Mah last month.

Seeking referendum

The more than 100-year-old cemetery covering some 2.8ha or seven acres is located at the heart of Buntong, a Tamil Hindu-dominated hamlet in the city.

The family of P Munniahmah, 58, had been the cemetery caretaker and undertaker for decades. Currently her son, B Lakshumanan, 40, took over.

“The cemetery caters for the burial needs of the majority of the Hindu population in the state capital… this the biggest and main one.

“Hindus have been using this cemetery more than a century,” he said.

A public forum would be held soon seeking a referendum among the local Hindu population on the project.

An attempt to hold the referendum early last month was abandoned due to unruly crowd and violence.

Hindraf’s Perak chapter on its part would also organise a public forum this week themed “Hindu burial ground and crematorium is the responsibility of the Malaysian government.”

The forum on Sept 9 would be held from 7pm at the Aruloli Mandram in Jalan Wayang, Buntong, Ipoh.