KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 – Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and textile company Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd must be held accountable for the sale of land that has housed the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple for over 130 years. Chief Editor of Ottrangknews and social activist Dato’ G Kumaar Aamaan has emphasized that land with such deep historical and cultural significance should never have been sold without considering the rights and interests of the Hindu community.
According to him, if the land has indeed been transferred to Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd, then the company must return the land to the existing temple committee or allow the Indian community to repurchase it if there are any legal conditions involved.
“The main issue here is not the construction of a mosque but how DBKL could sell land that has housed a temple for more than a century. This not only challenges the rights of the Hindu community but also raises serious questions about the transparency of this transaction,” he said in a statement to Ottrangknews.
Anwar & Government Agree to Preserve the Temple, Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd Must Return the Land
Dato’ G Kumaar Aamaan also praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Minister of Communications Gobind Singh Deo, and several other Indian leaders for agreeing that the temple should remain in its original location.
“If top government leaders, including Anwar Ibrahim and ministers, agree that this temple should not be demolished, then DBKL and Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd must respect this decision. Jakel should relinquish ownership of the land and return it to the Hindu community or allow the Indian community to repurchase it,” he added.
He also stressed that a fair resolution is needed, ensuring that no one-sided benefits occur, as has often happened in cases involving minority places of worship in Malaysia.
DBKL & Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd Must Explain the Sale of This Historic Temple Land
The big question now is how DBKL could sell land that has clearly housed a temple for over 130 years to a private company like Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd. If the temple has been standing since before Malaysia’s independence, then the local government should have a responsibility to protect it.
“This is not about opposing any party or religion; it is about justice and the rights of the Indian community in this country. We demand a full explanation from DBKL and Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd on how this land was transferred without any consultation with the temple committee or the local Hindu community,” he further stressed.
He also pointed out that if certain parties try to frame this as a religious conflict, they are misleading the public. The real issue here is the sale of a historically significant land without fair consultation, not the construction of a mosque or the demolition of a temple.
Ottrangknews & Activists’ Demands:
1. Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd must return the temple land to the existing temple committee or allow the Indian community to repurchase it if legal conditions apply.
2. DBKL must provide a full explanation of how this land was sold without consulting the temple authorities and the Hindu community.
3. The government must ensure a fair resolution that does not undermine the rights of any community, particularly minorities.
4. All parties, including political leaders, must prevent speculation and ensure that the real facts are presented to the public to avoid racial and religious tensions.