Devotees and committee members of Hindu temple tear down City Hall fencing to reclaim land

The fencing built by Kuala Lumpur City Hall workers at Golden Triangle Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman Temple was torn down by protestors. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 5, 2013.The committee members of the Golden Triangle Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple together with Hindu devotees “reclaimed” their temple land when they tore down fencing erected by City Hall last Sunday.

The event took place after a special prayer in the partially demolished temple.

Several deities which were alleged to have been uprooted from its pedestals were also placed back.

"We hope the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak takes note that the sentiments of the Hindus have been gravely hurt by the demolition works carried out on the temple," Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leader and Subang MP R Sivarasa said this evening.

The temple, which was built in 1911 in Jalan P Ramlee, sits on reserve land meant for roads or walkways, and City Hall last Sunday claimed back some eight feet of land.

Scores of worshippers rushed to protect the temple, raising the temperature in Malaysia's religious landscape and pitting the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government against politicians from its own coalition.

"All we want now is for the government to gazette this land including the eight feet plot which was taken in the temple's name," Sivarasa said, adding that any attempt to put up new fencing will be resisted by the temple committee.

There was no police or City Hall enforcement present today but tensions ran high.

Last year, the temple committee received an eviction notice after Hap Seng Land, which is building a 30-storey office block on the adjacent plot, was told that it would be given a certificate-of-fitness only if it built in an 2.4-metre walkway along the building, in line with City Hall requirements.

But that could not be done because the temple occupies the land. Despite the intervention of local government, the temple committee and the developer failed to come to an agreement.

The developer previously offered to relocate the temple to Sepang but it was rejected as the temple has historical value.

After numerous failed attempts to reach an agreement, the developer took City Hall to court. The court then served an injunction on the temple and City Hall served it an eviction notice.

The temple houses two main deities, Muneswarar and Kaliamman, hence its name.

Several politicians, including MIC Youth Chief, T Mohan and PKR’s deputy human rights chief S Jayathas were arrested when they tried to stop City Hall from demolishing the temple on Sunday.

Earlier in a press conference, the committee members of the temple announced the formation of a vigilante group to protect temples in the country.

Former Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran said that the protest from the temple against authorities has to be represented by a bigger and stronger force to defend the rights of those from the Hindu faith particularly.

"This will be a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for the time being before being registered officially," Manogaran said.

He said the group will help other temples in a similar situation in future.

Manogaran admitted that the temple had been operating foodstalls but had stopped in 2009 after being slapped with a notice from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

"The revenue was used only for the upkeep of the temple and after the notice was issued, the operations were stopped altogether,” he said.