Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Malaysiakini provided more details on the removal of temples and crematoriums from KL Master Plan 2020 draft as highlighted by MHS yesterday. Some pertinent details of the article are reproduced below:
Vaithilingam also queried whether the move by DBKL was a plot to remove the religious sites by year 2020.
“What is of great concern to the community leaders is whether there is a plan to erase off hundreds of Hindu temples and the two crematoriums situated at Jalan Loke Yew and Sentul by the year 2020,” he said.
“When the issue rose in the meeting, many realised that their temples were not identified in the plan.
“But before we proceed with anything, the temples and crematoriums have to find out whether they are listed or not,” he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.
“Then they will have to submit protest forms to DBKL and from then on we will seek clarification on the matter from the Federal Territories Minister,” he said.
According to Vaithilingam, MHS organised a special meeting with more than 120 temple representatives on Aug 19 to bring this issue to the attention of the various temple associations that were involved.
Asked the reason for not probing the ministry earlier, Vaithilingam said that the temples were informed of the situation but did not take the matter with immediate importance.
“The temples are not bothered until the DBKL officer is in front of the temple to break it down,” he added.
Besides the crematoriums, some of the temples that are not listed in the 13-year plan are several prominent temples like the Hanuman and Krishna temples in Brickfields and Sri Nageswari Amman temple in Bangsar which celebrated its 40th anniversary recently.
Vaithilingam warned that the related authorities have to identify the location of their respective temples as soon as possible and put forward a protest form which is obtainable from DBKL and Hindu Sangam.
The deadline for the submission of these forms to the DBKL authorities is Aug 30.
“From here we will have to have discussion with the authorities and decide whether the temples will be allowed to exist or will it be provided with suitable alternatives,” said Vaithilingam.
It is stated that the temples have to send the protest form by August 30th. If the reply from DBKL says that they are listed and the plan is updated, no problem. If not, Deputy Minister Saravanan going to have a very hard time.
In the Malaysiakini article of August 23, Datuk Saravan has stated that Malaysia Hindu Sangam has not approached him on the temples issue and he is unaware of anything ~ lol ~
Extract from Malaysiakini article dated 23 August 2008 :
“Federal Territories Deputy Minister M Saravanan today slammed the Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) for not channelling to the authorities sooner their complaints on why plots of land for Hindu temples and crematoriums were missing in Kuala Lumpur Draft City Plan 2020.” …
Lol ~ looks like the whole issue of the temples being omitted from the KL City Draft Plan 2020 was only brought to the attention to the FT Deputy Minister only now ~ who then ‘takes up the baton’ ~ will the baton be dropped like the USA team did in the Beijing Olympics? Only time will tel ~ lol ~
they dropped the baton … so let’s drop them from politics ….. political tsunamy shall return !!
The guy, oops sorry, the Yang Berhormat did not even know that the temples and crematoriums had been omitted from the KL Draft Plan 2020! Shameful and utterly depressing that the only people we have representing the community are such lame-O’s! First that PPP guy in the PM’s dept helps to snuff out the racist teacher issue, now this… What hope-lah for our makkal? U guys think DS Anwar will do better for us? I was part of a GLC during the time he was in the cabinet, and that’s when the company turned ‘green’ (that’s not environmentally-friendly, but the colour associated with a certain religion!). Us nons were systematically sidelined and the word ‘ethnic cleansing’ was whispered all round! I pray he has changed for the better. As for the future KL, I dread to think of the time when they implement what the hon’ble deputy Minister of FT said, which is: “…if the govt wants to acquire the land on which the temple is located, then the temple will have to re-locate…”. I cant imagine a KL without my beloved Court-tu Malai Pillayar or Sri Maha Mariamman or Sri Ramalingeswarar and many more that I’ve been going to since I was a child!
The Deputy FT minister would not lift a finger to find out the future plans (2020) regarding the status of the Hindu temples and the crematoriums.
It is a real shame that the plans are drawn by City Hall right under his nose. But then who really cares about him in the BN or in City Hall. He is just another new running dog of his UMNO masters.
He might have realized that his term as a minister is short lived as he will be another story like his ‘invincible’ master, the great Samy Velu.
Saravanan has to make hay while the sun shines. He has to amass as much wealth and other perks before the 13GE.
He chastises Hindu Sangam because they had the temerity to expose his inefficiency to safeguard and fight for Indian and Hindu rights.
Hindu Sangam would be better off to approach NGOs to look into this urgent matter. Even before he could complete one year, he looks like a dead duck.