KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — The Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) said it has "not ruled out” implementing multi-level graves to deal with crowding in the state’s Muslim cemeteries amid rising Covid-19 related deaths.

Local Malay daily Berita Harian reported yesterday that its director Datuk Mohd Yusop Husin said that multi-level graves are not new in the state and has been implemented before especially in the Kerian district where some areas are located near mangrove swamps.

"This (multi-level graves) is not unusual because previous fatwas have long allowed it, looking at the issue of land use itself.

"I still remember the late Perak Mufti (Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria) who had said that the living should be given priority for land use first.

"In addition, we will not do (build multi-level graves) deliberately, but we have to prioritise (land use) for the living first. If there is not enough land, and it is inevitable, then (we will do it) like in Kerian,” he was quoted as saying.

Yusop was reportedly responding to a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, who last Saturday said that the issue of possible overcrowding at Muslim cemeteries will be discussed at the next National Fatwa Council meeting.

Berita Harian reported that in a recent check, a cemetery in Shah Alam had buried 26 people who died from Covid-19 in a single day.