Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is shocked with the statement issued by Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor that the government is unable to stop private development and can only advise the land owner to retain the Vivekananda Ashram building in Brickfields.

It clearly shows the minister is ignorant on the available laws for him to act personally and his shallow attitude towards national heritage in Malaysia. As a minister, he should not open his mouth if he is not aware of the facts and the available laws and the need to protect national heritage. He should not think the public are foolish enough to buy his passing-the-buck statement devoid of public concern.

It is a fact that that National Heritage Department had gazetted the Vivekananda Ashram back in 2008 and 2009, therefore the validity of the site and its surrounding is not in question.

The argument put forward by the FT minister and the mayor of Kuala Lumpur  that the trustees  can maintain the site as heritage and incorporating the development plans is utter rubbish.

It makes a mockery of Malaysia which is a member of the World Heritage Committee.

The minister seem to have conveniently ignored and failed to consult the Heritage Department on the requirement of the buffer zone surrounding the heritage site, whether a study been done by the Heritage Department along the guidelines under the International Centre for Study of the Preservation and restoration of cultural Property (ICCROM) and International Council of Monuments and sites (ICOMOS)

It does not take a rocket scientist to say the planned development by the board of trustees would cause permanent destruction to the heritage building.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia urges Tengku Adnan to invoke his powers to take an exception based on Section 3 of the FT (Planning) Act 1982, and Section 18(1) which specifically empowers him to suspend the development plan. Tengku Adnan should act in the public interest rather than take a vague stand and seem ignorant on the powers conferred to him as a minister under the law.

P WAYTHAMOORTHY is chairperson of Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia.