from: P Ramasamy, via email
The High Court’s rejection of an application by the trustees of the Vivekananda Ashram is a huge slap in the face of the trustees who have been adamant in going through the development plan to put up a 23-storey condominium and commercial complex on the land.
There is no point in appealing to the good senses of the trustees not to challenge the decision. The decision of the High Court is reflective of the concerns of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Indian community in general to preserve and protect heritage sites.
The government understands that any development on the land would destroy the Ashram, built more than 100 years ago and the icon today of Indian settlement and business activities in what is popularly known as Little India.
The trustees appear to be merely interested in reaping a handsome profit from this commercial complex with little or no regard for the cultural heritage of Indians.
Why fault the government, when these so-called trustees want to destroy one of the last remaining identity markers in the country.
While DAP’s M Kulasegaran, MP for Ipoh Barat, has every right to dissuade the trustees from appealing the decision, I would like to advise Kulasegaran not to waste time with trustees who are uncaring about the sensitive nature of the ashram.
Vivekananda Ashram is not a mere building but a cultural and iconic symbol of Indians who came and settled in Malaysia. The statute of Swami Vivekananda stands for broad peace, stability and spiritual concerns of Malaysians, irrespective of race or religion.
Even the Minister of Culture and Tourism Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz who initiated the move to gazette the property as a heritage site was surprised or dismayed that such an iconic landmark would face the prospect of oblivion in the hands of the trustees. Those who were supposed to look after the cultural symbols of Indians.
P Ramasamy is the MP for Batu Kawan and deputy chairman of Penang DAP
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