Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium explained

Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium
Location:Mandai, Singapore
300 Mandai Road, Singapore 779393
Building Type:Crematorium, columbarium complex
Owner:National Environment Agency
Coordinates:1.4139°N 103.8097°W

Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium is a crematorium and columbarium complex located at Mandai Road in Mandai, Singapore. The complex is operated by the Government of Singapore under the National Environment Agency.[1] It is one of three government crematoria in Singapore, the other two being the Choa Chu Kang Columbarium and Yishun Columbarium.

Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium is located not far from Yishun New Town.

This complex is one of the final resting places for many Singaporeans because of the new technology and limited spaces to host cemeteries for the dead.[2]

History

With Mount Vernon Crematorium, the only government crematorium reaching its maximum capacity in the late 1970s, a need for a second crematorium arose. The Government chose a plot of land at Mandai to build Singapore's second crematorium. Completed in 1982, it consists of 4 big cremators and 4 small cremators, and 1200 niches. Shortly after its opening, it was designated to cremate exhumed remains from closed down cemeteries in Singapore.

In 2000, the government decided that all cremation services would be consolidated at Mandai. So, a new extension was built just south of the original complex. Completed in mid 2004, this complex comprises four service halls, four viewing halls, 12 cremators and one waiting hall, replacing the Mount Vernon Crematorium, which closed down on the same day the new complex opened. The columbarium was also expanded to include remains displaced from the closure of Mount Vernon Crematorium as well.

To meet the growing demand of the island's population, the Government decided to expand the crematorium further. Slated to be completed in 3Q 2019, it will have six service halls, six viewing halls, three waiting halls and 18 cremators.[3]

Notable People

Death YearNameNotes
1982 The first wife of 3rd Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
1996 Left-wing politician and trade union leader
1997
2002 5th President of Singapore
2005 4th President of Singapore
2006Former Minister of Finance, Minister of Communications, Minister of Education, Minister of National Development & Minister for Sustainability and the Environment
2010 Goh Keng Swee2nd Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
Kwa Geok ChooThe wife of 1st Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
2012 1st Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore
2015 1st Prime Minister & only Minister Mentor of Singapore [4]
2016 6th President of Singapore[5]
2018Koh Sok HiongThe wife of 4th President of Singapore Wee Kim Wee[6]
2019 Singaporean artiste who died during reservist training in New Zealand[7]
Bai YanVeteran Singaporean artiste [8]

See also

Other non-government crematoria and columbarium in Singapore include:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Government-Managed Columbaria. National Environment Agency. 2015-03-25. 2015-03-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20150330051107/http://www.nea.gov.sg/public-health/care-for-the-dead/government-managed-columbaria. live.
  2. Web site: Burial, Cremation & Ash Storage. National Environment Agency. 2015-03-25. 2015-04-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402133229/http://www.nea.gov.sg/public-health/care-for-the-dead/other-death-related-matters/burial-cremation-ash-storage. live.
  3. Web site: Mandai Crematorium to expand to meet demand. The Straits Times. March 23, 2015. September 21, 2018. September 21, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180921114614/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mandai-crematorium-to-expand-to-meet-demand. live.
  4. News: Chua . Mui Hoong . 2015-03-29 . Mr Lee Kuan Yew's funeral: From public mourning to private family farewell at Mandai . en . The Straits Times . 2023-08-07 . 0585-3923 . Mr Lee Kuan Yew's family said farewell to him on Sunday, March 29, evening, in an emotional ceremony at Mandai Crematorium. . 2023-08-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230807063938/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/mr-lee-kuan-yews-funeral-from-public-mourning-to-private-family-farewell-at-mandai . live .
  5. News: Chew . Hui Min . Ng . Charmaine . Choo . Felicia . Cheong . Danson . 2016-08-26 . A nation bids farewell to S R Nathan who gave his 'best years and more' to Singapore . en . The Straits Times . 2023-08-07 . 0585-3923 . After the service, Mr Nathan made his final journey to Mandai Crematorium for the private cremation service. . 2023-08-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230807063939/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/state-funeral-procession-for-former-president-s-r-nathan-leaves-parliament-house . live .
  6. Web site: Mrs Wee Kim Wee’s way to love was through her cooking, family and friends say in eulogies . 2024-05-19 . TODAY . en . Mrs Wee, whose birth name is Koh Sok Hiong, met the late Dr Wee in 1936 before marrying him the same year. Dr Wee served as president of Singapore from 1985 to 1993. He died in 2005. On Wednesday morning, more than 150 family members and friends, as well as 24 Girl Guides and five Scouts, showed up at Mrs Wee's wake at 25 Siglap Plain to pay their last respects. Her favourite song, Indonesian folk classic "Bengawan Solo", was played as the hearse carrying her body left the family's Siglap home around 9:20am and made its way to Mandai Crematorium..
  7. News: Tan . Tam Mei . Zhuo . Tee . 2019-01-27 . Family, friends bid farewell as Aloysius Pang accorded military funeral . 2024-05-19 . The Straits Times . en . 0585-3923.
  8. News: Lee . Jan . 2019-08-23 . God-daughters Zeng Huifen, Ye Sumei among those who say final goodbye to veteran actor Bai Yan . 2024-05-19 . The Straits Times . en . 0585-3923 . Bai's family members bowed as mourners made their last rounds around his casket at Singapore Casket in a farewell ceremony, before the funeral procession left for Mandai Crematorium at 11am..