NO RESPITE for Chinese temples in Jalan Kasipillay, DBKL to proceed with DEMOLITION

KUALA LUMPUR - The Federal Territory Land and Mines Department will go ahead with its demolition exercise at a Chinese temple in Jalan Kasipillay as some of its structures are encroaching into government land.

"Some of the structures of the Choo Sing Tong Temple that is situated on lot 822, 823 and 824 are encroaching into lot 1256," its director Datuk Yahaya Mohamad told theSun yesterday.

"Their wall, fish pond and residential building are blocking the entrance of lot 1256, which belongs to the government."

The residential building, which houses the Shan Ling Gong shrine, also serves as the caretaker's home.

"The Land and Mines Department has received complaints from the owner of the lot, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, and will be taking action. We will have to demolish the structures that are encroaching into the said lot," he said, adding that the department is acting under Section 425 of the National Land Code.

Yahaya said the department will only demolish the structures that are encroaching into government land.

The management of the Choo Sing Tong Temple and the Shan Ling Gong shrine, which are facing the bulldozers, denied that they are encroaching into government property and say they have the documents to prove that the temple is well within its boundaries.

Choo Sing Tong Temple committee secretary Yap Eng Hoe had said the temple was relocated from Jalan Pekeliling in 1975 and the government granted three pieces of land to them upon relocation. - The Sundaily