He advised people approached to buy such plots to first check if the land is privately owned.

Chow gave this warning after the state government discovered that the owner of a burial ground in Batu Kawan, on the mainland, had encroached into state land and created 43 burial plots.

More than half of these burial plots had already had tombs built on them.

Chow, who is state Land Committee chairman, said the rest of the plots were empty burial plots with tombstones and other ornaments. He believed these burial plots had been pre-sold to families.

“Such cases have been reported during our land committee meetings.

“In view of this, we have taken enforcement action by clearing out the burial plots that have encroached on state land in Batu Kawan.

“But we have not touched the plots where tombs have already been built,” he told a press conference today.

Chow said Lot 1449 and Lot 248 of Mukim 13 in Batu Kawan, owned by the state, were encroached for a private Taoist burial ground.

Lot 1449, he said, had been reserved for a Christian cemetery and is owned by the Penang Development Corporation.

Chow said the burial ground on the private land was also created without any planning permission from the Seberang Perai Municipal Council.

He said the landowner involved will be charged under Section 425 of the National Land Code 1965 for unlawful occupation of state land. Those convicted of the offence are liable to a fine of RM500,000 or five years’ jail, or both.