DBKL, Sack Them All

Tanah Perkuburan Ampang is one of those places I visited from time to time. Almost every member of my family were buried at this burial ground. It is one of the oldest cemetery in Kuala Lumpur with more than 13,500 graves. It has all the facilities of a park with walking pavement, street lighting, rubbish bins, public toilet, parking space and a number of DBKL workers. These workers, a part from being the grave diggers, do the maintenance work at this cemetery.

Many prominent names were laid to rest at this place I regard as "Suci" including Tan Sri P Ramlee, Biduanita Saloma, Tan Sri Mubin Shepard, Roseyatimah, M Sharif, Ungku Omar (The Founder of Polytechnic Ungku Omar) and Raja Tan Sri Mohar bin Raja Badiozaman, just to name a few. These are the people, in their life time have contributed so much to the nation, I believe they should be given the same respect as much as when they were with us.

Sometime 2 years ago, DBKL appointed a contractor to do maintenance work of grass cutting surrounding the graveyards. The contractor apparently came twice a month. The work done by them I notice, do not equal to the work previously done by the grave diggers. These grave diggers not only work at the cemetery, they live in the quarters next to the cemetery. Surely their contribution and dedication is like someone who look after their own home.

I know at least 5 of them who have been working at this cemetery for nearly 20 years. They knew who and whose family laid to rest at each and every corner of the cemetery. They knew which grave visited by the left ones and which is not, rain or shine they will always have stories for each and every grave.

Nowadays, for almost two years, when I visited the cemetery, it doesnt has the beauty “Seri” of a park I use to know. The grass, always long, dried leaves everywhere, it doesn’t have the Aura of a place I once knew as “Suci”.

I can never understand DBKL, why do they appoint contractors to do the maintenance work. For many years the grave diggers were doing a good job, why the change? Why change a system that works so well for so many years?

I was wondering, who do you sack in DBKL for making this wrong decision?