File photo shows Ronnie Liu (centre, in yellow) with Selangor Pakatan Rakyat supporters showing the 2007 approved plan granted to developer Dolomite Properties Sdn Bhd to build a 29-storey condominium and shop lots near Batu Caves. — Picture by Md Izwan
Selangor’s announcement today comes two weeks after the state issued a temporary stop-work order on the Dolomite condominium, pending the taskforce’s findings.
“The State Executive Council today agreed to appoint former Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) director-general Dato’ N. Sadasivan as chairman of the independent committee to study the approval of the condominium project in Batu Caves,” Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said in a statement today.
Khalid pointed to Sadasivan’s vast experience, noting that he had previously served as a director in a few private companies and two government-owned financial institutions, Bank Negara and Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Berhad, as well as in state oil firm Petronas’ board of directors.
He said the state government would announce the names of the other members later.
Khalid said he would meet with the committee this week to inform them of the state’s purpose, adding that the committee would also be tasked with studying other construction projects within the Batu Caves area.
“Among the committee’s scope are to re-evaluate all the development projects that have been done and planned in Batu Caves, and take into account each aspect – including the people’s welfare, the Hindu community’s interest, environmental safety and existing legislation.”
“The state government is of the opinion that this committee’s scrutiny will benefit and add value to efforts to make Batu Caves a UNESCO World Heritage site,” he said.
Selangor today also appointed the Norasiah Bee, the Selangor Rural and Town Planning Department’s Deputy Director, as the secretary of a secretariat to ensure the smooth running of the taskforce.
Khalid also criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise yesterday to cancel the Dolomite project if BN manages to win back Selangor, describing it as a move to “gain popularity and support” instead of solving problems.
“This unprofessional move by the Prime Minister gives a negative effect on integrity and good governance because any project cancellation has to be done according to procedure,” Khalid said.
He said the state government places priority on the people’s rights and interests, adding that it will not “hesitate” to bring any parties to justice if they were found to be careless or had abused their powers.
Yesterday, Najib also said the BN government would apply to make Batu Caves a UNESCO World Heritage site after Malaysia’s term as a member of the World Heritage Commission ends in 2015.
The 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project has turned into a political crisis as Batu Caves is the religious focal point of Hindu Indians, who form the majority of the 1.7 million Indians and are a key voting group in many urban seats in Selangor.
About 300 Hindu and non-governmental activists joined a “Save Batu Caves” rally in the Batu Caves temple complex to protest against the condominium construction on October 26, saying it was an environmental risk that would jeopardise the temple grounds but did not furnish proof to substantiate their allegations.
The project was given the nod by state authorities in 2007, but MIC and Barisan Nasional (BN) have in recent weeks pressured the current Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration into calling a halt to the project amid a battle for Indian votes.
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