In a joint statement today, Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah from PKR and DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago said they were referring the matter to Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali whom, they said, had given his commitment to seek a solution acceptable to all.
“Azmin will assist to bring all parties and relevant stakeholders to the discussion table,” the two MPs said following a meeting between the two legislators and a group of NGOs called the Seafield Task Force on Dec 14.
“The task force was concerned that a solution had to be found to ensure that the temple was able to continue to remain at its current site,” they said in the statement.
According to Sivarasa and Santiago, the task force’s representatives felt that some key legal obstacles had to be clearly resolved in order to find a long-term solution for the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25, which is said to be 126 years old.
On June 6, Azmin had said he had spoken to developer One City Development Sdn Bhd which had obtained a court order to possess the temple land, and persuaded it to put its eviction of the temple on hold.
Sivarasa and Santiago also said that the site occupied by the temple was private land under One City Development.
“The owner has also obtained a court order to regain possession of the land. Therefore any long-term solution needs their agreement and support.
“Secondly, the right to possession and management of the temple and to make all decisions regarding it has been disputed between two groups from 2001,” they said.
The MPs said the task force’s representatives informed during the meeting that they were now claiming the right to possess and administer the temple at its existing site.
“They say that the current temple should be maintained there based on its long history as an estate temple,” the MPs said.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/03/21/hindus-seek-najib’s-help-to-save-seafield-temple/