CM: Relocation of graves at United Hokkien Cemeteries included in EIA

GEORGE TOWN (Jan 4): The relocation of some century-old graves at United Hokkien Cemeteries here to make way for a road project had been included in the EIA “from the beginning”.

“It looks like Gerakan didn’t find out about this when the EIA was displayed and they have taken a long time indeed to find out and highlight it now,” Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (pictured) was reported saying by The Star at the City Walk 2020 event on Jan 1.

Chow’s said this in reaction to Penang Gerakan’s demand for a “clarification” on the relocation of graves to make way for the highway project linking Ayer Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.

It was reported earlier that 19 burial plots at the United Hokkien Cemeteries in Penang “will be affected” by the bypass road project.

Of the 19, eight would be relocated while 11 would remain beneath the elevated stretches of the highway.

“Seven graves at Lot 1558 and 12 graves at Lot 1559 will be affected. From the total, eight graves will be relocated and the other 11 graves will be maintained throughout the implementation of the highway project and various facilities will be put in place such as parking lots and stairs in future to make it easier for the next-of-kin when they visit the cemetery for prayers,” a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said late last month.

The statement added that after the authorities’ meeting with United Hokkien Cemeteries Penang, the latter said they did not have the right to represent the family members’ whose graves of their loved ones would be affected, and the state government was asked to seek an amicable solution to address the issue.

“It was also found that some of these graves do not have names written clearly on them while others have no tombstones. Therefore, the state government will publish notices to identify the next-of-kin during appropriate times, such as during the ‘Cheng Beng’ festival (Chinese All Souls Day).

“Besides, the United Hokkien Cemeteries Penang also said they had no records on the graves and had no means of contacting the next-of-kin. For more information, the state government through the Penang Land and Mines Office has also notified United Hokkien Cemeteries Penang regarding the graves that would be ‘affected’,” it stated.

“The United Hokkien Cemeteries has also published a note to collect the ashes/bones in the websites of Chinese newspapers on Dec 23 and urged the next-of-kin to contact them for the next course of action,” the statement added.