The Hindu temple in Putra Heights is under threat of demolition and wants the Selangor government to intervene

SHAH ALAM: A Hindu temple in Putra Heights is in danger of being demolished after the land on which the temple stands was sold to a private company without consultation with them.

Persatuan Penganut Sri Vadakara Batra Kaliamman Selangor wants the Petaling District and Land Office (PTD Petaling) to explain why they approved the transfer of land ownership without paying due attention to the presence of the temple.

It also wants the Selangor government to intervene and provide a satisfactory solution to the issue.

Advisor Arun Dorasamy said the issue, which has been going on since 2012, has been “mishandled.”

He said the land where Kuil Vadakara Batra Kaliamman stands, which the association claims is more than 100 years old, was handed over to different owners without consultation with the association.

“In 1989, the land registry divided the land (lot 199) into 10 individual plots.

“The country then sold the land to Concrete Gold Sdn Bhd (Concrete Gold) in 1998,” he said at a press conference at the Petaling District Government Complex here after presenting a memorandum to PTD Petaling on the matter.

Assistant Secretary Moghana Sunder Mariappan, who was also present, said Concrete Gold approached them in 2012 to ask for the temple’s relocation.

The association applied to relocate the temple to a piece of vacant land in Putra Heights in 2017, but this was rejected due to objections from local residents, according to Moghana.

But in July this year, the association was shocked when it received a summons demanding that the temple be demolished and the site cleared.

“When we checked, we found that Concrete Gold had sold the land to another private company called Sasa Mewah Sdn Bhd in February this year. Why were we not informed?” Moghana said, adding that the association had appealed the summons.

Arun also lamented the Selangor government’s approval of the transfer of land ownership without taking into account the existing dispute over the temple.

“It is only fair that PTD Petaling resolves this issue first before transferring ownership.

“The government works for the good of the people, not for profit,” he said.

He stressed that the temple would remain standing and urged the concerned government agencies and the landowner to come forward to find a solution.

He added that the association will submit a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if PTD Petaling has not given them a satisfactory explanation on the matter by Nov 14.

Assistant District Officer Mohd Nurunnajmi Amat Janji received the memorandum from the association and said he would look into the matter.