Geospatial Technologies approach for Cemetery Management Solutions: A Review

Abstract

 The study was first initiated to tackle an issue currently faced by the state religious council in Perlis, Malaysia, towards the oversupply of waqf land specifically for cemetery purposes which would be unsustainable for the current development trend. This study was conducted quantitatively by obtaining data from the urban planning department, PLANMalaysia, and the state religious agencies, MAIPs, Perlis. Two types of GIS software used are QGIS and MapInfo, while the result from the database will be updated into MAIPs’ database, so-called MYGOS, with the most recent data. Therefore, the study finds out that most of the waqf land is not in line with the land use zoning of the local plan, which indicates a lack of two-way communication between the state planning authority and the state religious council. This caused the cemetery land supply in Perlis to exceed the current and future needs until 2035. Consequently, the study will elevate the management system of waqf land in Perlis by adapting the current technology of GIS. Updating the database with the most recent data will ease other related agencies to access and integrate the information related to waqf land and improve data transparency in promoting cooperation between the two agencies. This study demonstrates the uses of GIS in waqf land management, from conventional data storing methods to modern and convenient technologies, and can also show the data inconsistency between the religious institution and urban planning agencies in Malaysia.