Friday, March 30, 2012

Caring for the dead

By THO XIN YI 
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/3/30/central/11005296&sec=central

LANDOWNERS have to now pay a higher contribution to the state’s cemetery trust fund.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said this requirement was applicable to those seeking to transfer the ownership or convert the land use to residential or mixed development.

He said the fund was for the state government to acquire suitable land for burial sites.

He added that the old rate of RM62.50 per lot had been increased to either RM300 or RM500, depending on the locations of the residential lots to reflect the present land value.

“Previously, for residential development below 100ha, the contribution was RM62.50 per residential lot.

“However, the amount is too little compared with the current land value which increases every six months according to the Selangor Valuation and Property Services Department.

“Therefore, we are fixing RM500 for each residential lot in Petaling, Klang, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Sepang and Kuala Langat and RM300 for Kuala Selangor, Sabak Bernam and Hulu Selangor,” he said during the recent state assembly.

He said this in response to a question raised by Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh.

When met later, Yeoh said the question was asked based on the experience of Bukit Gasing residents, who were required to fork out RM500 for the fund when they wanted to renew their leasehold titles.

“They wanted to know what the money is used for.

“Some of them, especially non-Muslims, have already bought private burial plots, so they questioned the need for the contribution,” she said.

Yeoh said she would push for a meeting in Bukit Gasing for Khalid and the Land Office to explain the fund to the people.

“According to Khalid’s explanation, this contribution will be a long-term solution to the problem of insufficient cemeteries in the state.

“If the state government cannot afford to acquire land for cemeteries, it will be more expensive for the people to buy burial plots in the future,” she said.

Meanwhile, Khalid revealed that RM16.8mil had been collected for the fund as of December last year.
He added that all district land offices had been told to identify suitable sites that could be acquired under the Land Acquisition Act to be turned into cemeteries.

“The cost will be borne by the trust fund or relevant landowners or developers,” he said.

It was reported in 2003 that those owning 202ha of land or more must provide cemeteries for Muslims and non-Muslims in their development.

The then state executive councillor Datuk Mokhtar Dahalan was quoted as saying that those who could not do so had to provide alternative land, or contribute RM62.50 to the cemetery trust fund for each residential lot approved.

The fund will enable the government to buy land for cemeteries.