City Hall resumes demolition of temple in Jalan P Ramlee

 

(The Star) - The Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple off Jalan P Ramlee was demolished this morning despite a meeting pending with the deputy minister of the Federal Territories Ministry later this month.

Temple president R.A. Balasubramaniam said the officers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) along with several policemen came to the temple as early as 7.30am.

"They made those inside leave without any explanation and proceeded to demolish the temple," he said.

"Nobody will talk to us and they have not allowed us to go inside to salvage what we can. No notice has been served," he said.

A building at the temple site on the verge of being demolished

By 11am, parts of the temple building had been torn down. A bystander, identified as Mohan said he was unsure if the main temple would be demolished today.

By 11.15am, several tractors were seen tearing down the main temple building, including the roof.

On Sept 1, part of the 101-year-old temple was demolished by City Hall after the temple authorities and DBKL reached an impasse in their year-long negotiations to remove the temple from DBKL’s reserve land.

Police had said only the wall of the temple at the back adjacent to a new office highrise was being demolished to make way for an 8-feet walkway.

Several political leaders, who were at the temple, failed to get any explanation from the City Hall officers as to the latest action to demolish the temple.

Some of them were heard shouting at the officers.

City Hall vans and policemen were seen checking all vehicles entering the area, with scores of people watching by the roadside.

The Sri Muniswarar Kaliamman temple is the only temple for Hindus within Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle business hub.

The temple was built in 1911 is now deemed to be on DBKL’s reserve land for road expansion, pedestrian paths or drainage.

Hap Seng Land is putting up a 30-storey office building in an adjacent plot and can only get a Certificate of Fitness if it builds a walkway in line with DBKL requirements.

However, the temple is on the land that would be needed for the walkway and the developer offered some land in Sepang for the temple to be relocated to but the temple authorities rejected that offer as the place of worship had historical significance.

When the two could not come to an amicable settlement, Hap Seng sued City Hall which, in turn, sent an eviction notice to the temple.