Residents of five villages against proposed cemetery project near their areas

KUALA SELANGOR: About 300 residents from five villages in the district here held a protest against a proposed Chinese cemetery project at Kampung Bukit Cerakah here since the location is deemed unsuitable because it is close to residential areas.

The five villages that staged the protest are Kampung Felda Bukit Cherakah, Kampung Bukit Kapar Tambahan, Kampung Bukit Hijau, Kampung Bukit Kerayong and Bandar Puncak Alam.

Representative of the residents, Melan Ismail, 49, said it was regrettable that the developer and the local authorities did not inform the residents, the majority of whom are Malays.

“The proposal for a graveyard on the hill located in the centre of the five villages resided by mostly Malays is not suitable.

“It is even more disappointing that we were not informed of the project by the parties concerned and we only came to know when several excavators were seen entering the village area to carry out a road project to the site last Wednesday,” he told reporters here yesterday.

In this regard, Melan urged the local authorities and the parties concerned to review the proposal for the cemetery.

Meanwhile, Bandar Puncak Alam Resident Delegation Committee chairman, Mohd Razib Mohd Talib said if the project were to proceed, it may affect the local residents’ economic interest and the development of Puncak Alam.

“The presence of a Chinese cemetery in the area will drive away Malays from living in the area or from buying properties here. We hope the state government will interfere and resolve the issue quickly,” he said. — Bernama