The Selangor Sri Vadakara Batra Kaliamman Devotees Association is urging the state government to seek a fair resolution regarding the land dispute surrounding the Vada Batra Raja Kaliamman Temple site in Bukit Cermin, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.

Association adviser Arun Dorasamy pointed out that the issue has persisted since 1989, with the temple having been established there for a considerable time and now facing demolition by the new landowner.

He said the Petaling District and Land Office is well aware of the ongoing dispute over the temple land, having discussed it across various state government agencies with the temple management committee since 2012.

“Significant efforts were made in 2019 to relocate the temple, but no suitable site was identified.

“The question arises: Why did the District and Land Office allow the land ownership transfer while the dispute was still under discussion and no reasonable solution had been reached by any party so far?

“At the same time, we also carried out renovations on the temple building with the consent of the previous landowner,” he said in a memorandum submitted to the Petaling Land and District Office today.

Earlier, around 20 temple management committee members and devotees attended a brief meeting with the office representatives.

Arun said that the Petaling District and Land Office previously divided the original land lot into 10 separate lots despite knowing the temple was still under dispute.

Then in 1998, the office granted ownership of the land to a company as the initial landowner, he said.

“This issue could have been effectively resolved long ago if the District and Land Office had considered and paid attention to the temple’s presence during the lot subdivision process in 1998.

“It is highly unfair to non-Islamic places of worship, particularly temples that have existed since before independence,” he lamented.

One-week response deadline

Arun said the land belongs to a new owner, a different private company.

He claimed that this new owner has never engaged with them or offered an opportunity for discussions.

The transfer process was conducted covertly and hastily, raising suspicions of possible motives or abuse of power during the process, he alleged.

“This is a matter of public interest that the state government must address responsibly and prudently. We do not wish for, and hope to avoid, any undesirable incidents,” he added.

Arun said the temple authorities are also willing to purchase the land, though no discussions or offers have been made.

Consequently, he said, they now face the risk of the temple being demolished after the landowner asked them to vacate the premises.

The association has given the Petaling District and Land Office a one-week deadline to respond, failing which they plan to escalate the matter to the MACC.