SHAH ALAM, SEPT 1st: The UMNO-BN government broke the promise they made prior to the elections when the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) started demolition works on Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman Temple in Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur today.
The 100-year old temple, besides receiving visits from Hindu devotees every day, is also considered to be a historical site.
The PKR Vice President N. Surendran suspects a conspiracy between DBKL and a private development company to make way for the constructions of additional buildings.
“We demand the government to stop the demolition works on the temple as they had promised. We urge for an immediate release of those detained. The arrest is absurd because they only wanted to negotiate with DBKL but they were strong-armed before being taken into custody. It was an aggressive police action,” he said to TV Selangor today.
PKR leader S. Jayathas and the temple representatives were held in custody until 3 p.m.
According to Surendran, three deities at the temple, not including the large ones, had been destroyed by the DBKL using sledgehammers by afternoon.
On 20th October last year, the Minister Secretary General of the Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing, Datuk Adnan Md Ikhsan, said DBKL had to withdraw their notice of vacating and demolishing the temple.
However, DBKL, under police monitoring, is taking action by starting with the demolishing works on the temple which is located in the golden triangle of the capital city.
– FZL