Tuaran: Honouring the dead has taken on a new meaning in Sabah, with the Nirvana Memorial Park along Jalan Tuaran Lama, here, launching the State’s first artistic columbarium hall designed not just as a resting place, but as a living space.
The facility’s Block E was unveiled during the park’s Chinese New Year Grand Gathering, officiated by former State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe as Guest of Honour on Sunday.
Advertisement
“I was amazed by their design … they are so caring to have designed it in a way that brings dignity to the departed,” said Phoong.
He noted that the launch was timely, falling on the 13th day of Chinese New Year, with two more days of celebration remaining according to Chinese tradition.
Phoong, who took the occasion to visit his own grandfather’s resting place at the park, encouraged Sabahan families to view long-term memorial planning as an act of filial piety, one that carries particular meaning during the festive season.
“If you have the mind and spirit to honour, respect and remember them, it is a blessed thing for your family,” he said.
“I believe that with such amazing scenery and good facilities, you will not be disappointed,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nirvana Memorial Park East Malaysia Chief Operations Officer Au Kok Wah described Block E as a landmark offering for Sabah.
“This is the latest design that we have. Every urn compartment has furnishings inside, it is exactly like someone’s living space,” he said.
Au said that Block E represents a bold departure from conventional columbarium design, where urns were simply stored in plain, closed compartments.
“Under this new concept, there is furniture, like a living hall, allowing the departed a welcoming space to rest while giving visiting family members a place to sit and spend quiet moments with their loved ones before proceeding to their ‘rooms’,” he said.
The artistic block comprises two halls with about 800 compartments in total, one for Buddhists on the first floor and another for Christians, making it an inclusive facility for families of different faiths across Sabah.
Au also noted the common misconception that Nirvana’s products are priced beyond the reach of ordinary Sabahans, pointing out that the new compartments are available at what he described as a reasonable price, backed by a three-year interest-free instalment plan requiring only a 10 per cent initial payment.
“We want to accommodate not only the rich, but those who are willing to have a place here,” he said.
Meanwhile, guests were treated to a lion dance performance and a sumptuous lunch to mark the occasion. Also present were Nirvana Memorial Park Marketing Officer Leon Pui, among others.
