In July 2017, the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that about 45,000 Chinese graves would be exhumed under phase seven of the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery exhumation programme (Graves, farms to make way for larger Tengah base, July 19, 2017).

This phase is slated to be completed by next year, but I learnt last month that around 7,600 graves remain unclaimed by next of kin.

This large number of unclaimed graves is worrisome.

As these affected Chinese graves are dated between 1955 and 1999, I reckon there should be living next of kin.

They might have stopped paying respects to their late relatives for a range of reasons.

Perhaps there are next of kin who do not follow the local news and are still unaware of the plans.

The NEA should be actively trying to trace and contact them.

Lee Soh Hong