Lee (facing camera, centre) seen during the meeting. Flanked by Chin (left) and Liew, the minister is seen talking to Chong, who is sitting before him.
MIRI (March 28): It is time for the management of the 100-year-old Ghee San Riam Cemetery here to undergo digitalisation.
In stating this when met after a meeting called by the Association of Ghee San Riam yesterday, Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin acknowledged the issues regarding the cemetery located at Riam Road here over past decades, such as scattered gravesites and overgrowth.
“Firstly, the association that manages the Ghee San Cemetery is a voluntary body that does not charge any fee for managing the site.
“Over a century, the cemetery for Riam residents has remained almost the same, except for the tar-sealed road. Thus, efforts must be put in to modernise the gravesite, to make it easier and more accessible to those coming to do clean-up works on their ancestor’s gravesites during occasions like the Qing Ming,” said Lee, who is Senadin assemblyman.
The Qing Ming is the ‘Remembrance of the Ancestors Day’ – or more commonly known as ‘Grave-Sweeping Day’ – that takes place on the 15th day of the Spring Equinox, which falls on April 5 this year.
“For members of many families who are from outside Miri or are currently abroad, travelling has not been as easy as it was before, due to the prolonged pandemic.
“If we could digitalise the management and maintenance of the cemetery, family members and relatives could easily go to their ancestors’ gravesites and, perhaps, pay their respects virtually.”
On such an undertaking, Lee acknowledged that it would a lot of work.
“This is why I call upon the association to plan out the works, and see the possibility to make this (digitalisation) happen,” he added.
Currently, there are 3,500 gravesites across the 22-acre cemetery land.
Also present at the meeting yesterday were the association’s chairman Chin Teck Choi, its treasurer Chong Hoi Lee, and committee members Liew Han Ping and William Sim.
In his remarks, Chin explained that the overgrowing grasses were not because of negligence, but due to the frequent rains.
“On yearly basis, our association spends over RM30,000 on grass-cutting service, and every January, we commission the spraying of herbicide all over the cemetery.
“Unfortunately, there were several times when after the contractor had sprayed the herbicide, it rained down heavily,” he said.
On another key matter, Chin called upon the public to contact the association should they experience any issue relating to the gravesites so that immediate action could be taken.
For enquiries, contact the Association of Ghee San Riam via 085-418 386, or gheesanassociaiton@gmail.com.
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