Pix and story by Hardew Singh
KUALA LUMPUR, March 23: The Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Jalan Masjid India here was a properly set up temple that had been previously relocated 100 metres away from its original site by the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) to make way for a road, said Deputy President of MIC M.Saravanan.
At a press conference held here today to dispel claims that it was illegally occuping the present area, Saravanan, who is also Member of Parliament for Tapah, explained the chronology of the 130-year old temple from the early days to later developments surrounding the temple and the DBKL’s role in retaining the temple in the past.
The present temple was built with funds provided by former President of MIC, Samy Vellu and traders from the Masjid India area following its relocation in the same area, and this happened in 2008 and not in 2015 as claimed by many, he said.
During this time, the temple was an entity under the DBKL and not any private company, he said. From 2008 to 2013, the temple was under the maintenance of the City Hall, where it had supply of water and electricity legally. There was no question of the temple sitting illegally on the land.
The land came under a different ministry in 2013 and it was then sold in 2014 to a private party, he said.
The temple committee meanwhile during a recent press conference said the temple had been under pressure to relocate the last ten years.
They also said that they would prefer to stay in the same area and were ready to coexist with any other building next to the temple.
— WE