Uncertain Future for 102-Year-Old Hindu Temple in Putra Heights
Background
A 102-year-old Hindu temple in Putra Heights is facing an uncertain future after the transfer of the land title to a private company. The Raja Kaliamman temple committee only learned about the transfer when they received a summons from the Shah Alam High Court filed by developer Sasa Mewah Sdn Bhd in July this year, asking them to vacate the land.
Transfer of Land Title
According to the committee’s adviser, Arun Dorasamy, the Petaling land and district office transferred the land title to Sasa Mewah in February this year. However, the committee claims that Sasa Mewah does not have any plans to develop the land. "The new landowner has never consulted or discussed the matter with us. What is shocking is, how can the land and district office allow the land to be transferred when the issue of its ownership has yet to be resolved?" said Arun.
History of Land Ownership
The ownership of the land has been a contentious issue since 1989, when the land and district office subdivided the original lot (Lot 199) to 10 separate lots. It then transferred the land ownership to Concrete Gold Sdn Bhd in 1998. "All this was done without the temple’s knowledge. We only knew about it in 2012 when Concrete Gold asked us to relocate," said Arun.
Relocation Attempts
The temple subsequently agreed with the relocation on the condition that it be moved to a new site in Putra Heights itself, which it had identified in 2017 and applied for to the Subang Jaya municipal council. However, the application was rejected due to "opposition from residents" near the new site. The municipal council later proposed three new sites in 2019 at Seri Kembangan and Puchong but the proposal was rejected by the temple due to their inappropriate locations.
Current Situation
The temple has decided not to relocate and is considering all options, including purchasing the land. Arun said the committee hopes to hear an explanation after handing a memorandum to Nurunnajmi Amat Janji, an assistant officer from the Petaling land and district office today. "If there’s no satisfactory answer and amicable solution from them after this, we will refer the matter to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for further investigation," he said, adding that the committee suspected the authority of "mishandling" the land.
Conclusion
The 102-year-old Hindu temple in Putra Heights is facing an uncertain future due to the transfer of the land title to a private company without the temple’s knowledge or consent. The temple committee has decided not to relocate and is considering all options, including purchasing the land. The committee hopes to receive a satisfactory answer and amicable solution from the Petaling land and district office, and if not, they will refer the matter to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for further investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the current situation of the 102-year-old Hindu temple in Putra Heights?
The temple is facing an uncertain future after the transfer of the land title to a private company without its knowledge or consent. - What are the temple’s options?
The temple has decided not to relocate and is considering all options, including purchasing the land. - What is the temple’s next step if the Petaling land and district office does not provide a satisfactory answer?
The temple will refer the matter to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for further investigation.