SHAH ALAM: The majority of family members and next of kin involved in the process of moving 90 graves in the Klang Strait Muslim Cemetery agreed with the decision to exhume and relocate the graves, said Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
He said that currently the state government through the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and the local authorities (PBT) are focusing on obtaining an agreement with the remaining next of kin to allow the construction of the East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project in the area to continue as planned.
"We will continue discussions with the parties involved because the majority have agreed.
"For the next of kin who have not agreed, we will give another week to discuss with JAIS, PBT and ECRL," he said at a press conference at Bangunan Wisma Dewan Negeri Selangor here on Friday (May 3).
He was commenting on press reports that there were next of kin and family members who remained opposed to the digging and moving of the graves after holding a meeting with JAIS on Wednesday (May 1).
Prior to that, Amirudin on Tuesday (May 2) announced that the work of digging and moving the graves which was scheduled for Wednesday had been postponed for another week, among other things to carry out the notification and hearing for the other 45 next of kin of the graves.
In other developments, Amirudin said the state government was targeting the presence of 30,000 visitors from home and abroad to the Turath Islami Festival which will be held at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque on May 26 until June 2, 2024.
He said the festival, which would enter its second year, aimed to revive and spread the Islamic heritage in Selangor and would be attended by two prominent Islamic scholars, the former Grand Mufti of Egypt Maulana Al-Imam Dr Ali Jum'ah and Habib Umar Hafiz.
"With the presence of the two prominent scholars as well as 23 great scholars from regional countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, we are confident that the number of visitors will triple compared to around 10,000 last year.
"The organisation of this second festival is a sign of the commitment of the Selangor state government to spread and revive the Islamic heritage," he said.
Amirudin said the festival will be filled with 12 main events including the study of the Forty Hadith book written by Imam Nawawi which will be led by Al-Imam Dr Ali Jum'ah as well as an international seminar on the book Riyadhu al-Solihin.
People interested in participating in the festival are asked to register from Friday through the website www.turathislamiselangor.com. - Bernama
