PETALING JAYA - While he has been part of a group protesting the construction of high-rise apartments in Batu Caves, his three children did just the opposite – they signed up to purchase units in the same project.
"Don't ask me, you'll have to ask my children," said Datuk A. T. Rajah (pix), a long-standing committee member of the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in response.
This shocking revelation came as both the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat continue trading barbs as to who was responsible for approving the two blocks of condominiums of 25 and 29 storeys on the fringe of the limestone caves.
The developer, Dolomite Industries Company Sdn Bhd, said that 70% of the 474 units in what has been named "Dolomite Park Avenue" has been sold and the first phase of development of 18 shophouses has been completed.
The names of Rajah's children – A. T. Kumararajah Thambyraja, Geetha Thamby Raja @ A. T. Rajah and Rajakumar Thambyraja appear in the list of purchasers, a copy of which was obtained by theSun.
Kumararajah is also listed as the temple's education sub-committee chairman.
However, the list is said to be incomplete as there is yet another list of "VIP purchasers" which includes officials of the local council and their relatives.
This contradiction of sorts comes in the wake of threats by the temple committee to initiate legal action against Dolomite.
On Oct 26, temple committee chairman Datuk R. Nadarajah and former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu spearheaded a protest against the development.
They gave the Selangor state government one month to issue a permanent stop-work order for the proposed development but the deadline expired two weeks ago.
The committee was upset that the high-rise development will block the view of the 42.7m Lord Murugan statue. It also raised issues of safety.
Nadarajah was quoted by the media as saying: "We will go all out to demand a stop to this development. If the building is constructed, the beauty of the Batu Caves reserve will be hidden behind it."
Rajah, when contacted, maintained he did not buy any units but did not deny his family members owning units there.
"I did not buy any units. My children – may be they could have bought. Don't ask me, you'll have to ask them," he said.
The project was approved in 2007 by the Selayang Municipal Council under the BN administration, but changes to the building plan was approved by the current Pakatan-led council in 2008.
-thesundaily
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.