It has come to our notice that the mayor of KL has advertised on Oct 27, 2014 through major publications in the country on the proposed development of the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia strongly urges the National Heritage Department to step in and object to the proposed development to protect and preserve this cultural heritage as part of the rich Malaysian heritage.

The city of Kuala Lumpur has a gazetted Structure Plan way back in 2004 wherein we believe that the Swami Vivekananda Ashram had been classified as a Category 2 heritage building.

Malaysia, which sits in the World Heritage Committee, is well-positioned to understand the importance of cultural heritages such as the Swami Vivekananda Ashram based on the basic tenet of Unesco in its effort to promote heritage conservation.

Under the National Heritage Act (NHA) 2005, the minister in charge has the vested power for providing or issuing policies, statements or directives in respect of any matter or conduct on the conservation and preservation of heritage. Under Section 40, The commissioner of heritage is empowered to advice and coordinate with the local planning authority in safeguarding, promoting and dealing with a heritage site.

Bearing the importance of the Vivekananda Ashram on the historical aspect of it, the commissioner of heritage also wields extensive power under the NHA 2005 in designating a heritage site as well as acquiring it for the sake of preserving a cultural heritage.

Swami Vivekananda Ashram without any doubt clearly fits all the necessary criteria in the form of its historic importance in Malaysian history, its social and cultural associations, its richness in exhibiting diversity and evolvement of the multicultural social fabric of the Malaysian community that is clearly enacted in Section 67 of the NHA 2005.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is of the opinion that as such is the case, the national Heritage Department has all the valid reasons to pursue with an objection to demolish and/or change the façade of a cultural heritage such as the Swami Vivekananda Ashram.  

The association therefore urges the heritage commissioner to immediately step in to register  objections to the proposed development and conversion on the status of the land where the Vivekananda Ashram sits and take immediate steps to protect and acquire the said building as the proposed development would naturally destroy the existing structure and building that has been standing there for over 100 years.

There are clear guidelines for buffer zones in such heritage building both domestically and as outlined by Unesco.

P WAYTHAMOORTY is chairperson, Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia.