Key Takeaways
- Xiao En is a well-established bereavement care group, with a centre in Cheras and a memorial park in Nilai.
- Xiao En’s published basic funeral packages start at RM6,888, and its Buddhist and Taoist packages run from RM28,888 to RM49,888.
- Xiao En’s Buddhist packages include extras such as a funeral bus, a music band and a 49-day tablet at its Nilai memorial park.
- A local PJ provider covers the same core services at a lower starting price, so compare line by line, not just totals.
- Request a written quotation from both before you decide.
Families in Petaling Jaya often weigh Xiao En against a local funeral provider. Neither is automatically the right choice. This guide sets out what differs, so your family can decide on facts.
About Xiao En
Xiao En began in 1987, when founder Dato Choo Ching Hwa opened Xiao En Memorial Park in Nilai. According to Xiao En, it was the first privatised, landscaped cemetery in Malaysia, built on land that was once an oil palm plantation. The name combines two values: “Xiao” for filial piety and “En” for gratitude.
Today, the company is run by the founder’s family and operates as a bereavement care and memorial group, not only a funeral provider. Their Xiao En Centre in Cheras was opened in June 2007 and covers 13,900 square metres. Besides funeral facilities, it houses an exhibition centre, a lecture hall, an auditorium and a counselling space, so it works as a cultural and educational venue as well as a funeral venue.
Their Xiao En Memorial Park in Nilai sits beside the North-South Highway and combines garden landscaping with architecture inspired by different Chinese dynasties. It offers burial plots, columbarium niches, ancestral tablets and eco burial. The drive from Kuala Lumpur city centre takes roughly 40 minutes.
Unlike Xiao En Funeral Services, a local funeral provider in PJ usually works within the area and coordinates the wake, the rites and the cremation close to home. The cremation is mostly arranged at Gui Yuan Crematorium in Petaling Jaya.
Comparing Prices
The table below lists the starting prices published on the official Xian En website as of 2026, as well as the rates charged by a local funeral service provider such as PJ Funeral Service. Prices change, so confirm the current figure with each provider.
| Service type | Xiao En | PJ Funeral Service |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | From RM6,888 | From RM5,800 |
| Christian | From RM21,888 | From RM10,800 |
| Buddhist/Taoist | From RM28,888 | From RM13,800 |
What Is Included
A higher price at Xiao En buys more in some areas, but not everywhere. Here is how the two Buddhist packages compare, using Xiao En’s Chrysanthemum package (RM28,888) and our 2 days 1 night Buddhist funeral package (from RM13,800).
| Item | Xiao En (Chrysanthemum) | PJ Funeral Service (2D1N) |
|---|---|---|
| Parlour | Standard Hall | Standard Parlour |
| Canopies (20′ x 20′) | 2 | 2 |
| Tables | 15 | 10 |
| Chairs | 80 | 80 |
| Mourning garments | 10 sets | 5 sets |
| Angpow sweets | 150 sets | 150 packs |
| Drinking water | 5 cartons | 15 cartons |
| Peanuts | 20 packets | 50 packs |
| Light refreshment | 30 pax per night | 50 pax per night |
| Music band | Included | Not listed |
| Transport | Lead car, passenger car, funeral coach and 44-seat bus | Single trip hearse |
| Aftercare | 49-day Enlightenment Table at Xiao En Memorial Park, telephone counselling, reminders | Telephone counselling, 7th-day, 100th-day and 1st anniversary reminders |
Both packages cover the core services: collecting the deceased, embalming and make-up, casket, cremation and urn, altar setup, a Buddhist ceremonial team and the sealing of the casket. Xiao En adds more on transport, music and aftercare. Our package is lighter in those areas and is priced accordingly, with matching or higher quantities on several basics.
The useful question is which items your family will actually use. A family expecting around 50 guests who are arranging their own transport may not need a 44-seat bus. Our packages can also be customised around your family’s traditions and rituals.
Distance and Travel
Xiao En’s memorial park is in Nilai, so the burial, the 49-day tablet and every later visit involve a trip outside PJ. Xiao En does offer transfer into its care across the Klang Valley, so collection from PJ is covered.
Some families choose Xiao En for its scale and setting and are comfortable with the travel. Others prefer to keep everything close to home. Both are reasonable choices.
Religious and Cultural Practices
A funeral follows the beliefs of the person who passed away and the customs of the family, so the key question is who can carry out your rites properly, not who is bigger.
Xiao En offers Buddhist and Taoist services as one package line, with a ceremonial team, joss sticks, vegetarian offerings and a paper model, plus a Christian line that includes a cross, candles and a keyboard for hymns.
At PJ Funeral Service, we provide Buddhist and Taoist services with a prayer service, offerings and reminders for the 7th day, 100th day and first anniversary. We also offer Christian or Catholic funeral services for Christian families who prefer a local provider.
Memorial group and local funeral providers can cover the standard rites, so the differences usually lie in the details. Ask how each provider handles the following:
- Can the ceremonial team follow our family’s dialect group customs?
- Can we bring our own monk, priest, pastor or prayer group?
- Can the wake schedule follow the date we have chosen?
- Which religious items are included, and which cost extra?
- What happens on the 7th day, 49th day and later anniversaries?
A larger name does not automatically mean broader cultural expertise, and a smaller provider is not automatically more flexible. The way to find out is to ask directly and get the answers in the written quotation.
Questions to Ask Before You Decide
A quotation is only useful if you understand what is inside it. Take these questions to every provider you speak to, and write down the answers so you can compare them side by side later.
- How many nights does the quoted package cover?
- What is included, and what is charged separately?
- Is cremation or burial included, and at which facility?
- How far will relatives travel for the wake and the final rites?
- Who will be on site throughout the wake?
If a provider is unwilling to put these answers in writing, treat that as a signal to ask more questions. A clear written quotation protects your family from surprise charges at a time when you least want to deal with them.
Making the Decision
Xiao En offers a long-established name, a memorial park and a fuller list of extras at a higher price. A local PJ provider offers proximity and a lower starting cost.
The right choice depends on your family’s customs, location and budget. Request a written quotation from both and compare them side by side.
Taking time to compare properly is part of caring for the person your family has lost.
Need a quotation? Contact PJ Funeral Service.
