Sustainability of Urban Cemeteries and the Transformation of Malay Burial Practices in Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Region
Land shortage for burials is one of many issues that emerge out of accelerated urban growth in most developing Asian cities, including Kuala Lumpur. Despite actions taken by the federal government and local authorities in addressing this issue, there is no strategic solution being formulated. Apart from making provisions for land to be developed as new cemeteries, the future plan is merely to allocate reserve land to accommodate the increasing demands of burial grounds around the city. This paper examines problems that arise from the traditional practices of Malay funerary as well as an insight to current urban practices in managing Muslim burial spaces around Kuala Lumpur metropolitan region. This paper will also provide some solutions through design approach that can be applied to counter the existing issues.
[1] Khalid, S. (2007, 14 October). Muslim burial ground will have park
concept. The Star.
[2] M, B., & Tan, V. (2012, 17 January). Running out of space at Cheras
Christian cemetery. The Star.
[3] Ahmad, Z., Ahmad, N., & Abdullah, H. (2009). Urbanism, Space and
Human Psychology: Value Change and Urbanization in Malaysia. European Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 11, Number 3, 464-470.
[4] City Hall Kuala Lumpur. (2004). Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020.
[5] Jakarta cemeteries will be full by 2013: Official. (2011). The Jakarta
Post.
[6] No more space in C. Jakarta cemeteries. (2011). The Jakarta Post.
[7] Omar, D. (2009). Urban Form and Sustainability of a Hot Humid City of
Kuala Lumpur. European Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 8, Number
2, 353-359.
[8] The State of Asian Cities 2010/11. (2010). UN-HABITAT.
[9] Brenda S. and David S. (2002). Towards a sustainable urban form in
Chiang Mai, managing the development of intermediate size cities,
(edited by Michael Romanos and Chris AuffreyKluwer) Academic
Publishing.
[10] Wong, N. H., Yu, C., &Ebooks Corporation. (2008). Tropical urban
heat islands climate, buildings and greenery. Hoboken: Taylor &
Francis.
[11] Baharuddin, Z. M., Sivam, A., Karuppannan, S., & Daniels, C. B.
(2010). Urban green space: Stakeholders- and visitors- perception in
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Paper presented at the Healthy Cities 2010
Conference, Making Cities Liveable, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
[12] Tiun, L. T., & Lim, Y. M. (2010). The Adequacy of Urban Public Space
in Penang.
[13] Y. C. Yap, I. Ms. Usman, Mm. Tahir, &Abidin, I. Z. (2010).
Characteristic of Attractive Square as Public Space: Putra Square,
Putrajaya - Selected Topics in Energy, Environment, Sustainable
Development and Landscaping. Paper presented at the 6th WSEAS
International Conference on Energy, Environment, Ecosystems And
Sustainable Development (EEESD '10), 3rd WSEAS International
Conference on Landscape Architecture (LA '10).
[14] Huang, S.-C. L. (2007). Intentions for the recreational use of public
landscaped cemeteries in Taiwan. Landscape Research, 32(2), 207-223.
[15] Park, C.-W. (2010). Funerary transformations in contemporary South
Korea. Mortality: Promoting the interdisciplinary study of death and
dying, 15(1), 18 - 37.
[16] Lee Boon-Thong (1995). “Challenges of super induced development: the
mega urban region of Kuala Lumpur-Klang valley”, in McGee, T.G. and
Robinson, I.M., (1995), pp. 315-327.
[17] Iqbal, Z. (2011). McDonaldization, Islamic Teachings, and Funerary
Practices In Kuwait. OMEGA, Vol. 63(1) 95-112, 95-112.
[18] Francis, D., Kellaher, L., &Neophytou, G. (2000). Sustaining
cemeteries: The user perspective. Mortality: Promoting the
interdisciplinary study of death and dying, 5(1), 34 – 52
[19] Lee, B.-T. (2005). Urban Development in Malaysia: The Case For A
More Holistic And Strategic Approach To Urbanisation. Paper presented
at the Southeast Asian-German Summer School on Urban and Peri-
Urban Developments: Structures, Processes and Solutions.
[20] Bunnell, T., Barter, P. A., &Morshidi, S. (2002). Kuala Lumpur
metropolitan area: A globalizing city-region. Cities, 19(5), 357-370.
[1] Khalid, S. (2007, 14 October). Muslim burial ground will have park
concept. The Star.
[2] M, B., & Tan, V. (2012, 17 January). Running out of space at Cheras
Christian cemetery. The Star.
[3] Ahmad, Z., Ahmad, N., & Abdullah, H. (2009). Urbanism, Space and
Human Psychology: Value Change and Urbanization in Malaysia. European Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 11, Number 3, 464-470.
[4] City Hall Kuala Lumpur. (2004). Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2020.
[5] Jakarta cemeteries will be full by 2013: Official. (2011). The Jakarta
Post.
[6] No more space in C. Jakarta cemeteries. (2011). The Jakarta Post.
[7] Omar, D. (2009). Urban Form and Sustainability of a Hot Humid City of
Kuala Lumpur. European Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 8, Number
2, 353-359.
[8] The State of Asian Cities 2010/11. (2010). UN-HABITAT.
[9] Brenda S. and David S. (2002). Towards a sustainable urban form in
Chiang Mai, managing the development of intermediate size cities,
(edited by Michael Romanos and Chris AuffreyKluwer) Academic
Publishing.
[10] Wong, N. H., Yu, C., &Ebooks Corporation. (2008). Tropical urban
heat islands climate, buildings and greenery. Hoboken: Taylor &
Francis.
[11] Baharuddin, Z. M., Sivam, A., Karuppannan, S., & Daniels, C. B.
(2010). Urban green space: Stakeholders- and visitors- perception in
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Paper presented at the Healthy Cities 2010
Conference, Making Cities Liveable, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
[12] Tiun, L. T., & Lim, Y. M. (2010). The Adequacy of Urban Public Space
in Penang.
[13] Y. C. Yap, I. Ms. Usman, Mm. Tahir, &Abidin, I. Z. (2010).
Characteristic of Attractive Square as Public Space: Putra Square,
Putrajaya - Selected Topics in Energy, Environment, Sustainable
Development and Landscaping. Paper presented at the 6th WSEAS
International Conference on Energy, Environment, Ecosystems And
Sustainable Development (EEESD '10), 3rd WSEAS International
Conference on Landscape Architecture (LA '10).
[14] Huang, S.-C. L. (2007). Intentions for the recreational use of public
landscaped cemeteries in Taiwan. Landscape Research, 32(2), 207-223.
[15] Park, C.-W. (2010). Funerary transformations in contemporary South
Korea. Mortality: Promoting the interdisciplinary study of death and
dying, 15(1), 18 - 37.
[16] Lee Boon-Thong (1995). “Challenges of super induced development: the
mega urban region of Kuala Lumpur-Klang valley”, in McGee, T.G. and
Robinson, I.M., (1995), pp. 315-327.
[17] Iqbal, Z. (2011). McDonaldization, Islamic Teachings, and Funerary
Practices In Kuwait. OMEGA, Vol. 63(1) 95-112, 95-112.
[18] Francis, D., Kellaher, L., &Neophytou, G. (2000). Sustaining
cemeteries: The user perspective. Mortality: Promoting the
interdisciplinary study of death and dying, 5(1), 34 – 52
[19] Lee, B.-T. (2005). Urban Development in Malaysia: The Case For A
More Holistic And Strategic Approach To Urbanisation. Paper presented
at the Southeast Asian-German Summer School on Urban and Peri-
Urban Developments: Structures, Processes and Solutions.
[20] Bunnell, T., Barter, P. A., &Morshidi, S. (2002). Kuala Lumpur
metropolitan area: A globalizing city-region. Cities, 19(5), 357-370.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:62197", author = "Mohamed Afla and Mohamad Reza", title = "Sustainability of Urban Cemeteries and the Transformation of Malay Burial Practices in Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Region", abstract = "Land shortage for burials is one of many issues that emerge out of accelerated urban growth in most developing Asian cities, including Kuala Lumpur. Despite actions taken by the federal government and local authorities in addressing this issue, there is no strategic solution being formulated. Apart from making provisions for land to be developed as new cemeteries, the future plan is merely to allocate reserve land to accommodate the increasing demands of burial grounds around the city. This paper examines problems that arise from the traditional practices of Malay funerary as well as an insight to current urban practices in managing Muslim burial spaces around Kuala Lumpur metropolitan region. This paper will also provide some solutions through design approach that can be applied to counter the existing issues.
", keywords = "Kuala Lumpur metropolitan region, Malay burial practices, sustainable development, urban cemeteries.", volume = "6", number = "11", pages = "3308-21", }
