Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium
Coordinates: 1°24′49.9″N 103°48′34.7″E / 1.413861°N 103.809639°E
Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium is a crematorium and columbarium complex located at Mandai, Singapore. The complex is operated by the Government of Singapore under the National Environment Agency.[1] It is the only government crematorium in Singapore.
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 are to 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.
Notable people
The facility's columbarium is the final resting place and/or cremation for many notable Singaporeans:
| Name | Death Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ong Teng Cheong | 2002 | 5th President of Singapore |
| Wee Kim Wee | 2005 | 4th President of Singapore |
| S. Rajaratnam | 2006 | 3rd Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore |
| Goh Keng Swee | 2010 | 2nd Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore |
| Kwa Geok Choo | 2010 | Spouse of 1st Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew |
| Toh Chin Chye | 2012 | 1st Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore |
| Lee Kuan Yew | 2015 | 1st Prime Minister of Singapore |
| S.R. Nathan | 2016 | 6th President of Singapore |
See also
Other non-government crematoria and columbarium in Singapore:
- Choa Chu Kang Columbarium
- Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
- Kranji State Cemetery - traditional burial options for many notable persons in Singapore