Another temple demolition avoided despite Umno opposition to new site

SHAH ALAM, Oct 8 — Umno opposition to the relocation of another Hindu temple in Jenjarom, Selangor, which was scheduled to be demolished today, is already being exploited by PAS in the on-going Bagan Pinang by-election.

The move to demolish the 130-year-old Sri Maha Mariamman temple was aborted only after a meeting between the temple committee, the developer KLIA Holdings and Kuala Langat police.

Former Hindu Sangam president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said the attempt to demolish the temple by the federal government-linked company, eight days before Deepavali, was history repeating itself.

He pointed out that in 2007, former Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Khir Toyo issued a similar order for a temple to be demolished in Kampung Jaya, five days before Deepavali.

The demolition became the catalyst for Indian discontent against Barisan National (BN) and was among the factors which resulted in the March 8 political tsunami last year when the ruling coalition lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time.

The temple in Jenjarom was once part of the Lunderstand Estate but over the years the land had been sold and it is now owned by KLIA Holdings.- + selanjutnya

Another temple demolition avoided despite Umno opposition to new site