Currently, the United Hokkien Cemeteries oversees five cemeteries, with a total land area of 493.675 acres. These cemeteries are: Batu Lanchang Cemetery Batu Gantong Cemetery Lebuh Tiga (Pulau Tikus) Cemetery Jelutong (Paya Terubong) Cemetery Teluk Bahang Cemetery Below are the establishment dates and land areas of each cemetery: 1. Batu Lanchang Cemetery Established: 1805 Lot No. 5: 55.932 acres Lot No. 58: 8.492 acres 2. Mount Erskine (Pulau Tikus) Cemetery Established: 1842 Lot No. 171: 51.125 acres 3. Batu Gantong Cemetery Established: 1886 Lot No. 26 (1): 229.646 acres (about half is hilly terrain) Lot No. 26 (2): 0.75 acres (mostly occupied by small structures) Lot No. 26 (3): 2.462 acres (fully occupied by small structures) 4. Paya Terubong Cemetery Established: 1941 Lot No. 129: 63.156 acres (partially hilly) 5. Teluk Bahang Cemetery Established: 1965 Approved burial land: 49.71 acres (partially hilly) Unapproved burial land: 32.393 acres (mostly flat, with some slopes) Current Burial Capacity The five cemeteries collectively handle an average of fewer than 500 burials per year. Except for Teluk Bahang, the remaining burial space in the other cemeteries is very limited. Additional Land Holdings United Hokkien Cemeteries also owns 4/26 shares of the "26-Company Cemetery Land". However: These lands cannot be subdivided. The 26-Company Cemetery Land is registered under the names of the Hokkien Cemetery trustees. (Note: "Lot" refers to land parcel numbers, and "hilly" indicates uneven or mountainous terrain.)
The organization known as the United Hokkien Cemeteries of Penang was officially established on November 3, 1923, following successful negotiations at a joint meeting between representatives of the Batu Lanchang Cemetery board and the Batu Gantong Cemetery board. At that time, the Batu Lanchang representatives were Oon Kheng Pheow, Goh Joo Lan, Chew Chin Chye, Chuah Aik Keong, Ooi Lam Chong, Koe Kim Buan, and Ong Hock Beng. The Batu Gantong representatives were Yeoh Paik Tatt, Lim Boon Oh, Lee Chin Hoe, and Cheah See Tuan. Both cemeteries also appointed directors to serve as joint representatives: Oon Boon Tan, Toh Hock Seng, Chee See Teong, Khoo Heng Poon, and Yeoh Seng Lye. The meeting was presided over by Oon Boon Tan as temporary chairman. The proposal to unite the two cemeteries originated from the Batu Gantong board representatives. During the meeting, Yang Bida spoke first, presenting the reasons for unification. The rationale was considered sufficient, and all present unanimously agreed that the two cemeteries should merge into a single entity, to be named “United Hokkien Cemeteries.” All thirty directors from both cemeteries retained their positions, and the following officers were immediately elected: Chairman: Toh Hock Seng; Vice Chairman: Lim Boon Oh; Treasurer: Yeoh Seng Lye; Auditor: Chew Chin Chye; Manager: Oon Kheng Pheow; Supervisors: Lee Chin Hoe and Chee See Teong. This account represents one of the historically valuable records of the United Hokkien Cemeteries of Penang. Note: Before the merger, Batu Lanchang and Mount Erskine (Pulau Tikus Cemetery) were originally managed by the same board.
To date, the shortage of burial land has become increasingly severe, particularly on a densely populated island like Penang. Currently, applications for cemetery permits are managed by the local government’s Health Department, with especially stringent requirements. According to the author’s knowledge, since the establishment of the local government, no permits have ever been issued to any organization in Penang Island, highlighting just how scarce land suitable for cemeteries is. In response to the burial land shortage, the Board of Directors of the United Hokkien Cemeteries of Penang has taken the following measures: - Reapply to the authorities for the 32.393 acres of land at the Telok Bahang Cemetery that have not yet been approved. - From January 1, 1984, suspend all applications for special reserved cemetery land. - Expand crematorium facilities and construct additional columbarium spaces for the interment of ashes. Based on the situation in recent years, the remaining burial land should be sufficient to meet needs for some time. However, the long-term outlook remains uncertain.
The Board of Directors of the United Hokkien Cemeteries is actively engaged in enhancing the Telok Bahang Cemetery, focusing on the improvement of mountain paths and drainage systems. This initiative not only mitigates soil erosion but also facilitates better access to the gravesites. Concurrently, efforts are being made to plant trees and cultivate ornamental flowers and shrubs. Over the past two years, these projects have incurred a total expenditure of RM 420,000. Upon completion, the cemetery is expected to emerge as a picturesque site with excellent feng shui. While some of the other cemeteries have been closed for many years, preparations are still required before the Qingming Festival. Over RM 10,000 is typically allocated to hire workers to remove overgrown weeds, ensuring that even these older cemeteries are maintained respectfully and do not fall into neglect.
Among the Chinese community, most people traditionally believe that burial is the only way for the soul to rest in peace after death, which is why the saying “entering the earth brings peace” has existed since ancient times. However, in densely populated modern cities, it has become necessary to reconsider this view. There were reports indicate that China has decided to promote flower burials to conserve land, gradually phasing out the custom of interment in graves. In the United States, “sky burial” services have begun in the past two years, and a private company has even planned to send human ashes into space, effectively conducting a form of sky burial, with a fee of approximately USD 10,000 per individual. In Penang, the Board of Directors of the United Hokkien Cemeteries has been actively promoting cremation in recent years, primarily due to the scarcity of burial land. However, it is widely recognized that changing the deeply rooted traditional beliefs of the Chinese community is not a simple task. Consequently, the Board continues to respect the wishes of the public, accepting all applications and processing them accordingly. At the same time, the Board has had to take proactive measures to promote cremation. Currently, ten crematoriums have been established. In the early stage, the original columbarium and two existing ash pavilions (Tee Kwee and Huan Hoon) were nearing full capacity. To promote, the Board then newly completed three-story columbarium building (Leng Aun Koe), costing MYR 2 million which provides 27,815 niches for the interment of ashes. This initiative not only addressed the problem of limited burial space but also meet the evolving needs of modern society.