Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com 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.
