The Federal Territory PPP welcomes the tourism minister’s full support to save Vivekananda Ashram located at Brickfields and pledges its fullest support to convert this building to heritage status.

The Vivekananda Ashram has become a historical landmark in Brickfields, which reckon the Indian community existent’s since 1904 in Kuala Lumpur. Little India has become a popular landmark identity for the Indian Malaysia community which was launched by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak together with former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and we cannot allow this identity to be lost.

We do not want this to be another Maika Holding issue. Many people had helped Maika Holding then including my father and relatives, but we did not gain anything and many have lost their hard-earned savings. Today the same person allegedly responsible is going to destroy a landmark historic Indian Malaysian icon in Brickfields.

It is time to pay back to the people and allow this building to be gazetted as a heritage site. Don’t think that the Indian community must always be brought to the street to fight for their rights every time.

We understand that the board of trustees has proposed a 23-storey apartment development, which will destroy the history and the culture of the Indian Malaysian society which has existed in Brickfields for the last 110 years. The board must understand the wishes by the people to maintain this historical building, which is 110 years old, and drop the idea of redeveloping this land.

The reason given by the board to redevelop the area is unacceptable as this is merely bad management. We knew very well that the government all this while has allocated funding for schools. If it is the real reason that the board of trustees could not manage the ashram well, then they all should resign and let a new management take over the ashram.

Furthermore, the land status for the ashram is for institutional purposes, and they can’t change the status of the land as they like. They also must understand that the National Heritage Department has offered to gazettes the building as a heritage site, and it is currently categorised as Heritage 2.

The mayor of Kuala Lumpur has powers to approve and disapprove any development on such land, which has been classified as Heritage 2, taking into consideration of the interests of the people and the objections received from the public.

PPP wants the entire board of trustees to resign immediately as they are not fit and capable of managing the Ashram, as follows:

1. Schools are funded by the government, if this is the reason given by the management then it is not acceptable.

2. Its former treasurer is the current CEO of F3 Capital Sdn Bhd, which is conflict of interest.

3. Since the ashram has been offered to be gazetted in 2008, why is the board of trustee objecting to the proposal, as it has been categorised as Heritage 2, unless they have vested interests.

4. When did the board trustees conducted their EGM/AGM to approve this development and, is there a proper audit reports available?

5. The land status for the ashram is for institutional purposes, so have they changed the land status to develop residential apartments? If so, is there a resolution passed by the board?

PPP would work with all parties involved including NGOs to save this 110-year-old building to be gazetted as a national heritage site, and it should be used as a resource centre for the future generations.

A CHANDRAKUMANAN is Federal Territories PPP chairperson and party national information chief.