Kuala Lumpur can meet the need of cemeteries for Muslims until 2061, said Federal Territory Religious Department (Jawi) director Che Mat Che Ali.

He said in 50 years, cemeteries in Kuala Lumpur would be full.

The cemeteries in Kuala Lumpur also received cadavers from cases of death of babies at birth - at one time he managed the burial 11 babies who died at birth from hospitals in Kuala Lumpur.

“People are of the opinion they needed to be buried in front of their homes or near mosques in their housing areas. This concept must be changed,” he said when met after the launching of the KL-Karak Raudhatul Sakinah Cemetery by deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.

He said, after 2061, Jawi had already thought of a new concept to manage funerals in Kuala Lumpur but it was still premature to expose it to the public.

On the KL-Karak Raudhatul Sakinah Cemetery, Che Mat said Muhyiddin admitted it is the first such cemetery in Malaysia and comes complete with landscaping and systematic infrastructure.

“The 98-acre cemetery was developed in seven phases, the first phase of 12 acres had been fully developed at a cost of RM5 million and can accommodate up to 22,000 burials, while the subsequent phase could take about 33,000,” he said.

The cemetery is located at Taman Batu Muda, Batu Caves and was built like a park, with Quranic verses played over loudspeakers.

- Bernama