State gov't did its part to protect Hindu temple, says exco

The Selangor government fulfilled its duties to secure a new site for the Hindu temple in USJ-Subang Jaya, which has been scheduled for demolition by a private developer.

Selangor executive councillor V Ganabatirau said it was pressure from the state that resulted in the current land owner and developer - One City Development Sdn Bhd - providing one acre of land to relocate the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple to a new site in Putra Heights, as well as RM1.5 million in compensation.

"The state-government's duty is to secure a place of worship for all devotees.

"The decision (to relocate the temple) was made with the legitimate body running the temple," Ganabatirau (photo) told a press conference at the State Secretariat building in Shah Alam today.

Commenting further, the Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson insisted that the state government has done its part, given that the current temple site had been earmarked for demolition since the early 1990s, following closure of the surrounding estates.

Among others, Ganabatirau was responding to calls from rivalling temple committee members, urging the state government to step into the matter and resolve their tussle.

Consent judgment reached in 2014

In this case, he also noted that the matter was brought to court and a consent judgment reached in 2014 saw all interested parties, including a rival claimant to the post of temple committee chief, M Nagaraju, agreeing that the temple be moved.

"So now, what is the state-government supposed to say? The problem is a fight between the rival committees," he said.

At the same time, Ganabatirau reiterated his commitment to protect all Hindu temples and other places of worship, reminding critics that he was once detained under the now abolished Internal Security Act for opposing the relocation of a Hindu temple in Padang Jawa, Klang.

Also present was the temple's management committee president KK Chelapa, who thanked the state government for its assistance in securing land and monetary compensation from the developer.

Claiming that Nagaraju had all the while illegally acted as a temple committee chief, Chelapa said the new temple is expected to cost more than RM5 million and would better reflect the current status of its devotees.

Nagaraju had, at the crack of dawn yesterday, led a group of devotees to gather at the temple, spurred by a message spreading on social media that the temple would be demolished.

While the demolition crew did not come, the eviction notice for the temple to be vacated from the land expired yesterday.

Asked when the demolition will take place, Chelapa only said, "very soon."

Devotees are said to have been praying at the site since 1891, when the temple grounds were opened by Indian estate workers.

A fig tree - which is sacred in Hinduism - on the land is also said to be more than140 years old.-Mkini