PITAS: The Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis) will introduce several programmes that focus on creating a more organised cemetery parks in the State.Special Tasks Minister Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said his office is looking for two models of cemeteries that can be adopted as examples for other cemeteries in Sabah.
So far, he said the cemeteries in Lobou, Sepanggar, and Mile 12, in Sandakan are among those identified as organised and suitable ones to be used as examples.
“We see that some districts or villages are facing shortage of cemeteries. I have asked the District Officer who is also the district dakwah chairman to find suitable land that can be used as cemeteries so as to facilitate Muslims in the state.
“We just want it to be more organised like in Lobou (Sepanggar) and Mile 12, Sandakan, where these two are among organised cemeteries that we will use as an example,” Arifin told the reporters after visiting flood victims in Pitas, on Thursday.
He said this when asked to comment on upcoming plans to be implemented by Muis this year.
In fact, Arifin said efforts were being made to widen cemeteries in several places in the State.
“Some (cemeteries) are not enough to accommodate the Muslims. For example, the latest one in Sandakan, we have to widen or expand because the land is really large and we just need to clean and so on.
“Similarly, in Sepanggar, we have a cemetery with an area of almost 6.5 hectares which can be utilised between the next 15 and 20 years so Muslims in Kota Kinabalu can choose the place to bury their loved ones,” he said.
Arifin, who is also Membakut Assemblyman, said not all graves in the State exceeded its capacity.
“Not all (cemeteries) are beyond its capacity as there are some that have vast areas such as in my constituency Membakut, we have 40 hectares of cemetery in which only a few acres are in use.
“We also have a cemetery in Bandar Tawau. In Sha Allah, we will open all as directed by the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor) who asked me to find a way immediately to solve the problems faced by Muslims regarding the cemetery,” he said.
On floods affecting State Islamic Religious schools (SAN), he said, so far he received reports on four, namely SAN Pekan Lama (not severely affected), Kota Marudu and SAN Taun Gusi (not severely affected), SAN Kinabatangan (affecting flooring and carpet of its surau) and Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) Sepagaya in Lahad Datu.
Arifin also presented a total cash contribution of RM23,000 to officials of Pitas Education office to help flood-hit schools.
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