Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery
| Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery | |
|---|---|
مقبرة بوسارا أمان الإسلامية | |
 One of the burial plots, S-1-1, in the Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery as seen from Cemetery South Street 3. | |
.svg)  Shown within Singapore | |
| General information | |
| Type | cemetery |
| Address | 11 Lim Chu Kang Rd, Singapore 719452 |
| Country | Singapore |
| Coordinates | 1°22′21″N 103°41′40″E / 1.3725207°N 103.6945381°E |
The Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery (Jawi: مقبرة بوسارا أمان الإسلامية) sometimes known simply as Pusara Aman, is a cemetery situated along the Jalan Bahar road within Lim Chu Kang, Singapore. It is the only Muslim cemetery that is still in use as of today. The cemetery is part of a larger funerary complex, the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery.
Etymology
[edit]The name "Pusara Aman" is a literal translation of "Peaceful Cemetery" in the Malay language. It is a combination of two words, "Pusara" (meaning cemetery) and "Aman" (meaning peaceful).[1][2][3]
History
[edit]Intended to replace the Bidadari Cemetery that was being cleared for urbanization, the Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery was officially opened in 1974, although there had been earlier burials at the site along Jalan Bahar road prior to that year.[4] The Ministry of Health had also ordered the construction of a mosque to serve the congregants at the cemetery, which was completed two years earlier in 1972 and later served as a funeral parlour.[5][6][7] Due to a lack of space, the Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery was temporarily closed for burials in 1995, with a new extension being developed and at least 10,000 bodies being moved to this new extension.[8][9] The cemetery was reopened for burials after this new extension was completed, although it was met with some criticism during its initial opening due to the general public finding it difficult to navigate.[10] Part of the cemetery was exhumed in 2020 to make way for an expansion of the nearby Tengah Air Base; at least 35,000 graves were affected.[11]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the cemetery was closed to public visiting.[12] Funerals and subsequent burials continued to be held during the pandemic, but with extensive supervision and safety measures taken.[12] After the pandemic, the cemetery resumed its regular operations, with noticeable increase in community and volunteer activities from youths at its mosque.[13]
The cemetery is the only functional Muslim cemetery in Singapore.[13][14] It is currently located on Temporary Occupation License (TOL) land, with the cemetery's management working with relevant services to preserve it and its mosque with funeral parlour.[6]
Funeral parlour
[edit]Masjid Pusara Aman
[edit]
The cemetery's main funeral parlour is Masjid Pusara Aman, a small mosque built in 1972 under orders of the National Environment Agency. Within the mosque, regular funerary services like washing the dead and preparing the body for burial are performed.[5]
Notable burials
[edit]- Zubir Said, the composer of Singapore's national anthem[15]
- Othman Wok, former Minister of Social Affairs from 1963–1977 and later Singaporean ambassador to Indonesia
- At least two or three Sufi Muslim mystics of unknown name; whose remains were exhumed from their mausoleums that were demolished for urbanisation and reinterred in Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery[16]
Accessibility
[edit]Bus services 172 and 405 lead to the cemetery's mosque and funeral parlour.[17]
Gallery
[edit]-
One of the burial plots in the cemetery, labelled S-1-1. -
A closeup shot of a grave in burial plot S-1-1. -
The grave of Othman Wok inside plot S-1-1. -
More graves in the cemetery. -
A flight of stairs leading to an elevated burial plot at the cemetery. -
The cemetery's main mosque which also contains the funeral parlour.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Oxford English-English-Malay dictionary. Oxford Fajar. United States of America: Oxford University Private. 2022. ISBN 9789834725877.
- ^ Comprehensive Malay Dictionary: English • Malay • Malay • English. Pelanduk Publications. 31 December 2000. ISBN 9679787508.
- ^ Ghazali, Amar; Rizwan, Muhammad (2006). Dictionary English-Malay Malay-English (1st ed.). Selangor, Malaysia: Crescent News. ISBN 9789830618074.
- ^ "Pusara Aman – A new cemetery to replace Bidadari". Berita Harian. 15 January 1974. p. 2.
- ^ a b "It continues to "live" amongst the dead". Berita Harian. 11 May 2007. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Status of land tenure for Masjid Al-Firdaus and Masjid Pusara Aman". Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ "9 heritage graveyards and cemeteries to visit in Singapore". Time Out Singapore. Archived from the original on 7 February 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ "10,000 old graves in Pusara Aman will be moved". Berita Harian. 24 October 2007. p. 1.
- ^ "Digging Bidadari's Past: From Palace to First Muslim State Cemetery". biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ "Many were lost in the new Pusara Aman". Berita Harian. 18 July 1995. p. 2.
- ^ "The public are not allowed to access the part of the cemetery that will be exhumed for reburial". Berita Harian (in Malay). 2 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ a b Irsyad (10 April 2020). "Only the funeral director and 10 immediate family members can handle the body during the circuitbreaker period". Berita Harian (in Malay). Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ a b Hussain, Afiqah (17 March 2025). "Belia aktif imarah Masjid Pusara Aman, anjur program 'Night Walk' dan pelbagai usaha mesra jemaah". BERITA Mediacorp. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ Ramzul (12 March 2024). "The Hidden Gems of Muslim Cemeteries in Singapore". Kubur Search. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ "State funeral of Mr. Zubir Said at Pusara Aman Muslim Cemetery, 1987". Singapore National Library Board. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ Gibson, William L. (2022). A complete catalogue of keramat in Singapore (Digitised ed.). Singapore National Library Board.
- ^ "B/S 31051 - Pusara Aman Mque (Jln Bahar) | Bus Stop Information | Bus Interchange". businterchange.net. Retrieved 29 May 2025.