Group wants referendum on Pengerang graves

It will show once and for all that the people are against the relocation of 18 cemeteries in Johor, says the Chinese Coalition of Pengerang NGOs.

KUALA LUMPUR: A coalition of NGOs are resorting to legal means to call for a referendum and determine if the seven Chinese cemeteries in Pengerang should be relocated.

The seven along with 11 Muslim cemeteries have been earmarked for relocation by the Johor government. They are to make way for the Pengerang Integrated Complex, the site for a major oil refinery hub.

Despite protests against the relocation of the cemeteries, the state government is determined to go ahead with the project.

“We want to show once and for all that the people of Pengerang do not want the relocation and this referendum will prove it,” said Chua Peng Sian, treasurer for the Coalition of Pengerang NGOs.

“We conducted a signature campaign earlier this year and 90% of the Chinese families signed it saying they did not want the cemeteries to relocated. Then in June, Er Teck Hwa (MP for Bakri), tabled a motion to debate the issue, but it was not allowed,” he added.

Chua said: “So now we want the courts to call for a referendum to find out if the people of Pengerang want all the seven Chinese cemeteries to be relocated. And we hope this will show the authorities what the people really want.”

‘Respect peoples’ sensitivities’

Among the members of this coalition are the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Kwong Tong Cemetery Association, Pengerang’s Sungai Kapal Cemetery Association and the Institute of People and Rights (IPR).

IPR facilitator, Abdul Rahman Maidin, said: “We support the stand by all the communities living here and the communities have strongly indicated that they do not want to be relocated and this includes their cemeteries.”

“The sensitivities of the people should be respected,” he said, adding that the issue involving the relocation of the 11 Muslim cemeteries has already been taken up by lawyers.

The Pengerang Integrated Complex entails the relocation of about 25,000 people from 10 villages. Under the first phase of the relocation, 3,122 people from seven villages will be made to move out by March next year.

The projects is said to bring in RM170 billion worth of investments and will start operations in 2016.