KUALA LUMPUR: The Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ25 Putra Heights, which has been in the limelight following the chaotic incidents since early Monday morning, will not be demolished until a solution is reached, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator P. Waytha Moorthy.
He said a discussion had been held with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad this morning and he (Dr Mahathir) voiced his concerns regarding the issue.
“The prime minister also told me that he would discuss it with the Selangor Menteri Besar to solve the problem,” he told a press conference after visiting the area and meeting the temple’s community.
Also present was Human Resource Minister M. Kula Segaran.
Waytha, who also holds the unity portfolio, had given the assurance that the plight of the affected parties regarding the relocation of the temple, said to be 147 years old, would be brought to Dr Mahathir’s attention.
Waytha said he would also discuss with the Attorney-General to find a solution on the issue of relocating the temple.
The chaotic incidents began early Monday morning involving a fight between two groups, which resulted in 23 vehicles being burned. Seventeen people were detained by police afterwards and of the 17, six suffered injuries while a lance corporal who tried to break up the fight was also injured.
Later, the same night, a Fire and Rescue vehicle was also damaged and a firefighter injured while a mob smashed glass panels of a building where the office of the developer who owns the land the temple is sited on is located.
Four others were also later picked up by police to assist in investigations. – Bernama