Jakel guarantees no temple demolition, construction to wait until relocation
Jakel Group, the owner of a piece of land that houses the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Jalan Masjid India, guarantees that it will not force a demolition of the Hindu worship house.
Addressing a press conference today, its legal and corporate communications head Aiman Dazuki said the company wants to find a win-win solution for both parties and...
Summary
Jakel Group clarifies that it will not demolish the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple and aims to find a mutually agreeable solution with the temple's management regarding its relocation.
The company has been in discussions with the temple for the past 10 years. Multiple relocation sites were suggested but rejected by the temple.
The planned groundbreaking for the mosque on March 27 is symbolic, and Jakel emphasised construction will not begin until the temple has been relocated, ensuring no disruption to the temple's activities.
Jakel Group, the owner of a piece of land that houses the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Jalan Masjid India, guarantees that it will not force a demolition of the Hindu worship house.
Addressing a press conference today, its legal and corporate communications head Aiman Dazuki said the company wants to find a win-win solution for both parties and will continue negotiating with the temple management committee.
The company would only begin construction on the site after the matter is resolved and the temple is relocated to another site agreed upon by the temple management.
"I want to stress here that there are people who use terms like demolition and tearing down.
"That is not correct. The issue of demolishing the temple has never been raised," Aiman told the conference held in Kuala Lumpur this morning.
According to the executive, Jakel had engaged with the temple committee for the past 10 years to find the best solution.
He said the company has also offered compensation to the temple committee to cover its relocation costs but could not reveal the amount as the matter is still in discussion.
Aiman said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had proposed two or three sites for the temple relocation but were rejected by its management committee.
Addressing polemics
The press conference today was to address polemics surrounding the land issue after news broke out that a mosque would be built at the site.
A report by MalaysiaNow yesterday stated the proposed mosque would be named "Masjid Madani" and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to officiate the groundbreaking ceremony later this month.
According to Aiman, the company had been surveying the land since 2009 before signing a purchase agreement three years later to realise the company founder Mohamed Jakel Ahmad's wish to wakaf (donate) a mosque for the local community.
Jakel chief financial officer Syed Nasrul Fahmi Syed Mohamad said the temple was already on the site but they were informed that it was only temporary.
He said the company would not have purchased the land plot if there was any restriction imposed on them.
"The process to purchase this land plot involved the DBKL, and I believe DBKL as the authority should be clear about the status of the site.
"If the process to sell this land was inappropriate, then the company could not have bought it.
"Secondly, during the process to buy this land, the temple was already there, (but) we were informed that a discussion was already ongoing then for its relocation, among others.
"And out of respect for the temple, the company, despite having owned the land for many years, had not initiated any action to this day and allowed the temple to operate as usual," Syed Nasrul told reporters.
Groundbreaking ceremony
On the groundbreaking ceremony slated for March 27, Aiman said the date was chosen in conjunction with the "holy month" of Ramadan.
However, he stressed that it would be just a symbolic event and the company would not start construction until the temple had been relocated.
"The groundbreaking ceremony would not be done in front of the temple. We plan to do it beside it.
"We also do not want to disturb the temple, and we invite the temple committee members to this event.
"I want to stress here that regardless of the groundbreaking ceremony, it's not like we are going to start building the mosque the next day," he said.
