SUBANG JAYA: The fund set up to buy the land on which Sri Maha Mariamman Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is sited has hit RM2 million in two days.
This was revealed yesterday by Berjaya Group executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan, who pledged RM500,000 to the fund.
Tan said the fund was part of his efforts to put an end to the controversy over the proposal to relocate the temple to another location.
"I proposed the setting up of the fund to buy the land where the temple is located from the current owners.
"I have pledged RM500,000 and several other individuals have also made contributions to assist in this noble effort," he told reporters during a visit to the temple here yesterday (Dec 2).
Present was Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
Tan said he personally knew the chief executive officer of Ayala Corporation, the company which owns the land, and that the latter was a charitable and respected individual.
"I will hold a meeting with him and I'm confident of persuading him to save the temple site which is over 140 years old," he added.
It is understood that Ayala Corporation holds a 66.25 per cent stake in developer company MCT Bhd, which was taken over by the multinational conglomerate earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Xavier said the fund was a good idea as the Selangor government had no power to take back the land as there was a court agreement in place that both parties had signed.
was a good idea as the Selangor government had no power to take back the land as there was a court agreement in place that both parties had signed.
He said he hoped that all parties involved would return to the negotiating table to find an amicable solution to the protracted issue.
"If Tan Sri Vincent Tan succeeds in buying the land, the state government and ministry will cooperate in the planning and zoning of the temple," he said.