By William Isau
SIBU, April 2: A family here has the shock of their life when they find that the metal gates of their parents and relatives’ graves have been stolen.
Former chairman of Sarawak Central Region Hotel Association, Johnny Wong said the thieves had also carted away the culvert covers of the graves.
“My nephews went to the Methodist cemetery in Jalan Datuk Teng Chin Hua for Ching Ming Day yesterday. They found that the metal gates and culvert covers have been stolen,” said Wong.
The graves, he said, are located on two hills in the cemetery.
“How long ago I wouldn’t know, but Sibu has become a very ‘healthy’ place where everything has been stolen.
“It does not matter how people respect their parents by making good tombs for them yet everything can be stolen and damaged,” he added.
This year’s Ching Ming Festival falls on April 5. However, some have already celebrated the occasion two weeks ago.
During Ching Ming, people commemorate and show respect to their ancestors by visiting their graves, offering food, tea or wine, burning incense, burning or offering joss paper including sweeping the tombs, removing weeds and adding fresh soil to the graves. – DayakDaily
