Muslim cemetery development in Hulu Langat proceeds via land exchange, Jawi clarifies

Claims that a Muslim cemetery is being privatized are inaccurate, according to the Department of Islamic Religious Affairs of the Federal Territories (Jawi). The new public cemetery project located at Lot PT3458 in Mukim Hulu Semenyih, Hulu Langat district, is being implemented via a land exchange agreement between Route Edge Sdn. Bhd. and the Federal Government.

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The project implementation is through a land exchange method between Route Edge Sdn. Bhd. and the Federal Government.

Jawi Director Hanifuddin Roslan explained that the company is developing a 4.34-kilometer access road from Sungai Lalang to the Kajang Silk Highway (SILK), in addition to providing the designated public burial site for the Federal Territories. This project is crucial for addressing the increasingly critical issue of insufficient burial land for Muslims in the Federal Territories.

The cemetery, designed as the Raudhatul Sakinah Islamic Cemetery (TPIRS), will offer up to 104,000 burial plots. This capacity is projected to meet demand for 28 years and includes comprehensive facilities such as an administration office, surau (prayer room), body management area, quarters, guardhouse, and related infrastructure. The development is slated for completion in 2029, after which Jawi will assume full management responsibilities, including handling unclaimed bodies and cemetery maintenance, mirroring operations at eight existing TPIRS sites.

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The project development is conceptualized as the Raudhatul Sakinah Islamic Cemetery (TPIRS) which involves the provision of up to 104,000 burial lots.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh previously confirmed that the Hulu Semenyih project has been in planning since 2005, intended to alleviate the shortage of Muslim burial sites in Kuala Lumpur and reduce traffic congestion in Semenyih. This clarification was issued in response to social media speculation regarding the project's status.

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The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) will be responsible for managing the entire process of handling the deceased, including the burial of unclaimed bodies and the maintenance of the cemetery.

Hanifuddin further clarified that the land involved remains under the Federal Lands Commissioner and has been gazetted as a public cemetery spanning 90 hectares (222.68 acres). Jawi hopes this explanation will foster public understanding of the government's efforts to secure new burial capacity for current and future needs, given the diminishing availability of public cemetery land.

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The development project for the Federal Territory Islamic Cemetery in Hulu Semenyih, Selangor, has been planned since 2005 to address the shortage of Islamic burial sites in Kuala Lumpur.