Old burial ground left unattended
MIRI: Over 25 tombs of early Miri settlers at a burial ground in Taman Selera, Tanjung Lubang here need attention from the authorities as the area is now covered with tall trees and bushes.
According to Miri Kedayan Association assistant secretary Abu Bakar Kalong, it is believed that the majority of those buried there were from the Jattie Meriek and Kadayan communities.
“The burial ground is not attended to regularly. We will conduct a ‘gotong-royong’ (work party) on Sunday ( Dec 24),” he told The Borneo Post recently.
According to Abu Bakar, Taman Selera is a place where families go for picnics and gatherings, but not everybody knows that there is an old burial ground there, located at the foot of the cliff of Tanjung Lubang. However due to neglect, the area now looks like a ‘jungle’.
“To my observation, some of the tombstones are dated as early as the 1900s – some of them were made of stones and carved ‘belian’ (ironwood),” he said.
Abu Bakar suggested local historians to conduct a study on the old burial ground.
“There are many stories behind the place, many of which only the older generation of Jattie Meriek and Kedayan would know. We hope the relevant authorities would conduct some clearing up there, after which they should erect fencing and make it a memorial site,” he said.
Abu Bakar also hoped that the Land and Survey Department would gazette the site, and for Miri Islamic Council to do something to prevent the burial ground from being neglected further. In this respect, the Miri Kedayan Association is inviting all local Muslim nongovernmental organisations to take part in the Dec 24 ‘gotong royong’, scheduled to commence at 7am.