DBKL unveils RM45m upgrade for Jalan Kuari crematorium to improve services for non‑Muslim community

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is set to upgrade its crematorium complex along Jalan Kuari, Cheras to cut waiting times for grieving families and enhance the standard of end-of-life services for the non-Muslim community.

In a statement today, DBKL said the RM45 million project, approved under the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan, First Rolling Plan for 2026, signals a long-overdue investment in dignified, accessible funeral care.

Since 1977, the DBKL Crematorium Complex has stood as one of Malaysia’s largest public cremation facilities, processing an average of 5,844 cremations annually. But with demand rising, capacity must keep pace.

“To meet the rising demand, the number of cremator units will be increased from seven to ten, boosting daily capacity from 18 to 27 cremations,” the statement read.

Currently in its pre-implementation phase and slated for completion by 2029, the project also includes modernised waiting areas and support facilities designed to be more comfortable, welcoming and user-friendly for families during their most difficult moments.

DBKL added that four temporary cremator units will be operational throughout the construction period to ensure services remain uninterrupted.

The project, it said, is part of the city hall’s broader drive to elevate public service delivery through better systems, stronger governance and sharper operational efficiency.

The upgrade is part of DBKL’s organisational overhaul for faster, more responsive, and fully accountable public service.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud stressed that every public facility must meet clear, enforceable standards so that citizens can count on the services when they need them most.

“Public needs are not static, they evolve. And so must DBKL’s service standards. Every facility must perform efficiently and rise to the demands of a capital city,” he said.

He added that a project’s true success lies not in its cost, but in the real, tangible improvements people actually feel.

“For DBKL, success is not measured by how many projects we complete; it is measured by the quality of service Malaysians experience. That is the benchmark we hold ourselves to in every single upgrade we undertake,” he said. — Bernama