Gerakan has strongly opposed the planned sale of the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, which the political party said should be preserved as a heritage site.

Contacted today, its Gombak division said they 'sincerely' wished to save the building - constructed in 1904 - from being demolished to pave the way for a condominium project. The sale has been approved by the building's trustees.

Responding to a question, the division also stressed that it was not acting on behalf of anyone else.

"We just don't want the trustees of this building to sell it to developers. They should rather hand it over to the government so that it can be turned into a heritage building," said the division's Youth chief S Vijay.

In a statement last week, the division said the ashram was the only famous symbol in Malaysia in recognition of the late Hindu sage Swami Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda attained international acclaim in 1893 when he represented Hinduism during the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago, USA.

His followers claim that his teachings created an understanding of both Hinduism and Asia in the international scene. He died at a young age of 39 in 1902.

"Every Indian Malaysian, especially ones that are Hindus, are proud and happy that the ashram exists and its our responsibility to preserve its existence," read the statement endorsed by Gerakan Gombak division chairperson A Kohilan Pillay.

The division said the sale of the building would amount to a loss of a religious symbol and slammed the trustees for focussing on profits.

"If the management cannot effectively run the ashram, they should hand it over to someone who can ..." the two page statement stated.

They called on the government to play an important role in this and to take positive action in protecting the building.

Meeting Rais Yatim

Speaking to malaysiakini this afternoon, Vijay said the division was planning to meet with Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Dr Rais Yatim and hope the planned enactment of the country's Heritage Act will help their cause.

"We are waiting for responses from groups we sent out our statement to before making the next move. So far, there have been a few non-governmental organisations backing us," he added.

He also claimed that the Lembah Pantai Gerakan division was also in support of the move as they sent a memorandum to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall about two weeks ago urging them to act to save the Vivekananda Ashram building.

Vijay added that there are still cultural classes and gatherings being held at the ashram though attempts to contact the ashram's chairperson Dr K Ampikaipakan have proven futile.

Malaysiakini 's attempt to contact the building's trustees or to meet them during a visit there this afternoon also proved fruitless.