KANGAR: When it comes to serving the community, age is no barrier!

The Kangar Chinese Cemetery committee members aged between 56 and 89 take turn to go on duty so that the cemetery is cleared for the Cheng Meng festival, a tomb-sweeping day observed by the Chinese once a year.

As the contractor did not meet the committee’s expectations in maintaining the cemetery as well as the unreasonable fees charged, the committee decided to take up the supervisory task itself after terminating the contractor’s service last December.

Ch’ng Ban San, the committee’s chairman, said committee members take turns to go to the cemetery from 7 am to 1 pm daily between March 24 and April 9.

A counter has been set up at the temple inside the cemetery to collect fees from people visiting the cemetery once a year.

It is a time Chinese Malaysians would travel back to their hometowns to visit the cemeteries to pay tribute to their ancestors.

“We rotate in two shifts. We rectify the issues on the spot.

“We arrange for workers to trim the grass every three months to keep the place well-maintained,” he said.

Ch’ng also said the seniors in the committee are very responsible and dedicated people, and would stay back to help even after their duty hours.

An 89-year-old committee member typically arrives at the cemetery as early as 6.30 am.

“He has never complained of exhaustion,” said Ch’ng.

Many are happy with the arrangements made by the committee.

One of them, Chen Xi Chuan, 70, said while making his payment at the counter that the committee had done a good job this year.

Chen’s parents were laid to rest at the cemetery more than 20 years ago.