Greetings to you and your family. Hope that everyone is well and safe. MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) and the NEA (National Environment Agency) has published a notice recently to inform members of the pubic on Phase 8 of the Exhumation of Graves. We’ve arranged the notice in a Question and Answer format for easier understanding which we think might benefit the rest as well who are not affected but can get a glimpse of what the process entails.
Which Blocks are affected?
The affected graves are at Blocks, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21 and 22. Family members are required to claim the remains of their Next-of-Kin buried in these blocks.
How to claim?
From 13 September 2021, family members may register online using Singpass at www.pusara.sg to claim for the remains of their Next-of-Kin.
How long do family members have to do the claim?
Family members have 1 year to do the claim as the deadline for registration is on 12 September 2022.
Can the claimant witness the exhumation and reinterment process?
The claimant will be notified via email and SMS nearing the exhumation date. The claimant is encouraged to witness the exhumation and reinterment process. After exhumation, the remains will be reinterred at another part of the Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery.
How many remains will be reinterred in one crypt?
The remains will be reinterred according to NEA’s guidelines:
• 8 remains per crypt for claimed graves
• 16 remains per crypt for unclaimed graves
Can the remains of people who are related to each other be reinterred in the same or adjacent plot?
Yes, however this is subjected to mainly the consent of the family members. Family members may claim the remains of other family members (called the “Supplementary Deceased”) (buried within Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery) outside Blocks 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21 & 22 who are related to the principal deceased so that the remains from the same family can be reinterred in the same or adjacent grave plots. These family members must meet the minimum burial period of 15 years prior to the registration closing date. No supplementary claim will be carried out if any family member disagrees on the exhumation in writing to MUIS.
Must the claimant pay for the process?
Costs of exhumation and reinterment will be borne by the Government. However for each supplementary grave (only for those outside affected blocks), a non-refundable fee of $80 (before GST) per remains will be imposed.
What happens if there are no claimants?
In cases where there are no claimants for the remains of the deceased, these graves will be recorded and categorised as “unclaimed graves”. Unclaimed remains from the graves will be reinterred at the Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery.
Who should I contact if I have questions about this?
For more information, please call the Muslim Cemetery Exhumation Office at 6238 4504 or visit their website at www.pusara.sg or email to [email protected].
Hope the above has helped us to understand the Exhumation and Reinterment process better. Here are some interesting terms we’ve learnt along the way:
Reinterment: a second or further interment or burial
Crypt: an underground chamber, where it is often used as a burial place
The following is a poster from https://www.muis.gov.sg/Our-Services/Exhumation-Phase-8. Press on image to enlarge.
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