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Meeting to be held to resolve St Ignatius church car park dispute

KUALA LUMPUR: A meeting will be held to address a dispute over a car park built on state land by St Ignatius church.

The issue arose after the church received a notice demanding the removal of the car park, which the church's legal representatives describe as a form of "bullying" by the authorities, according to FMT.

The land dispute has drawn attention from local representatives, who are now working to mediate between the parties involved.

Bandar Utama assemblyman, Jamaliah Jamaluddin, confirmed that her office has been in communication with both parties and is organising a meeting to review the matter.

"We have already been communicating with both parties and are planning a meeting. We will need to wait until the meeting is completed before providing any feedback to gain a better understanding of the situation," she said when contacted by the New Straits Times.

She added that her office was not fully aware of the issue until the notice was served to the church.

"The date of the meeting has yet to be set as we are working to coordinate schedules for all parties," she said.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya member of parliament Lee Chean Chung said he would be reaching out to both parties for more information.

"No background info (as of now to intervene in the matter). Will reach out to both parties tomorrow," he said in a brief reply to NST.

Earlier, it was reported that St Ignatius Church in Petaling Jaya had been directed to remove the car park it constructed on adjacent land belonging to the Selangor Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

FMT reported that the Petaling District Office issued a notice to the church on Oct 29, alleging the car park was illegally constructed and in breach of Section 425 of the National Land Code concerning unlawful occupation of reserved land.

Joy Appukuttan, the lawyer representing the church, said the church had been given 14 days to comply.

He said that in 2012, the church received written approval from the DID to level the area and use it as a parking lot, and that the church had been operating under the understanding that its use of the land was permitted.

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