Najib Issues Order To Stop Temple Demolition

KUALA LUMPUR: The demolition of a 101-year-old Hindu temple located at the intersection of Jalan P. Ramlee in Kuala Lumpur has been temporarily put on hold after the matter was highlighted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.

Temple devotees held a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut to get the Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to retract the notice.

Yesterday temple authorities, received the good news from Federal Territories PPP chief Datuk A. Chandrakumanan when he presented them with a copy of the letter bearing Najibs signature.

The prime ministers instruction is that there will be no demolition until a solution is found, said Balasubramaniam.

When I heard of eviction notice given to the temple management, I was puzzled as there was a directive from Najib last year that no Hindu temple will be demolished.

I highlighted the matter to him. Najib immediately ordered for the demolition to be stopped, he said.

Also present were Deputy Minister in the Prime Ministers Department, P. Waytha-moorthy, who felt that DBKL should take a non-confrontational method in resolving this issue as it involved religion.

The developer is constructing a 37-storey commercial building on the adjacent land.

According to DBKL requirements, it needs to build a 2.4m walkway along the building, in order to obtain a Certificate of Fitness.

The developer cannot do so now as the temple sits on the land on which the walkway is to be built.

Originally posted here:
Najib Issues Order To Stop Temple Demolition