Shanmugam Mookan, the Special Duties Officer to the Prime Minister, recently visited the Sri Subramaniam Swami Temple to oversee the construction of electric crematorium. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to strengthen basic facilities for the Indian community.
In September 2024, Prime Minister announced a total allocation of RM20 million for the development of crematoriums nationwide. As part of this initiative, ten electric crematorium construction projects were approved across eight states: Johor, Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, and Penang.
Shanmugam noted that this initiative was introduced to address the challenges faced by many Hindu families, who often have to travel long distances to other states for cremation rites due to a lack of local facilities. Initially, only five states were approved for this project. However, following careful consideration and discussions with the community, the government decided to expand the initiative, include Pahang as well.
“The government made decisions based on actual needs on the ground. In several areas, new crematoriums are being constructed, while in certain locations, part of the allocation is used to add incinerators to existing facilities in order to increase service capacity for the community,” he said.
Johor state was the first to receive approval for the project in May 2025, while the other states were approved in October 2025. The application for the electrical crematorium project in Kedah was submitted in June 2025 and approved in October 2025. The construction of the electrical crematorium in Kedah is expected to benefit the Indian community in North Peninsular Malaysia.
“This is the government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that every community in Malaysia receives fair and equal attention. This effort also reflects the spirit of unity and respect for the country’s cultural and religious diversity, which form the foundation of its strength,” he said.
The 10 electric crematorium construction project is expected to be completed by 2027. Shanmugam Mookan noted that several site visits will be conducted across the state to monitor progress and address any challenges that may arise.
