SHAH ALAM: A Hindu temple in Putra Heights is in danger of being demolished after the land on which it stands was sold to a private company without consultation.

Persatuan Penganut Sri Vadakara Batra Kaliamman Selangor wants the Petaling District and Land Office (PTD Petaling) to explain why it approved the transfer of ownership of the land without giving due consideration to the presence of the temple.

He also wants the Selangor government to intervene and provide a satisfactory solution to the problem.

His adviser, Arun Dorasamy, said the issue, which has dragged on since 2012, had been “mishandled”.

He said the land where Kuil Vadakara Batra Kaliamman is located, which according to the association is more than 100 years old, was transferred to different owners without consulting the association.

“In 1989, the land office divided the land (lot 199) into 10 individual lots.

“He then sold the land to Concrete Gold Sdn Bhd (Concrete Gold) in 1998,” he said during a press conference at the Petaling District Government Complex here after submitting a memorandum to PTD Petaling on the issue.

Its deputy secretary Moghana Sunder Mariappan, who was also present, said Concrete Gold approached them in 2012 to request relocation of the temple.

The association applied to relocate the temple to vacant land in Putra Heights in 2017, but was rejected due to objections from nearby residents, according to Moghana.

However, in July this year, the association was surprised to receive a summons demanding that the temple be demolished and the land vacated.

“When we checked, we found that Concrete Gold had sold the land to another private company called Sasa Mewah Sdn Bhd in February this year. Why weren’t we informed?” Moghana said, adding that the association had appealed the summons.

Arun also lamented the Selangor government’s approval of the transfer of ownership of the land without taking into account the existing dispute over the temple.

“It is only fair that PTD Petaling resolves this issue before transferring ownership.

“The government works for the well-being of the people, not for profit,” he said.

He stressed that the temple would remain in place and urged related government agencies as well as the land owner to come forward to find a solution.

He added that the association will submit a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if PTD Petaling does not provide them with a satisfactory explanation on the issue by November 14.

Deputy district director Mohd Nurunnajmi Amat Janji received the association’s memorandum and said he would look into the matter.