The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) which obtained a magistrate’s court order to demolish the Sivan Temple in Bukit Gasing, after a council report recommended it to be torn down as it posed imminent danger to people and property in the surrounding areas, will allow the temple management to carry out the demolition work.

Petaling Jaya mayor Alinah Ahmad said MBPJ, which received a court order to demolish the temple, on Feb 8, had passed the court order to the Sivan Temple committee for further action.

NONE MBPJ said a court order was requested “in the best interests of the people, to protect the lives of devotees, people living at Fraser Towers and the students of SMK Taman Petaling, a school located below the apartments”.

“Construction work carried out to upgrade the temple had resulted in cracks appearing in the structure and slopes, posing a danger to people living below,” said Alinah in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.

Alinah said MBPJ had earlier issued a stop-work order upon the advise of experts who warned that work carried out at the site would endanger lives and property or even cause landslides.

NONE She added that the seriousness of the Sivan Temple issue was brought up at the Selangor Economic Action Council and at the state exco meeting on Feb 13.

“We respect the religious sensitivity and have given full responsibility to the temple committee to handle the demolition exercise, but they must inform us how the demolition work was going to be carried out.

“The council is also willing to assist and provide advise to ensure such work was carried out smoothly,” she said.

- Bernama