Hindu shrine demolished in Malaysia despite ban order

3 December 2008, Kuala Lumpur (PTI): A 15-year-old Hindu shrine has been demolished by the city authorities in Kuala Lumpur even after an order by the Territories ministry banning the destruction of any temple without allocating alternate site.

The latest demolition of a shrine in Taman Desa, Seputeh, on Tuesday has raged anger among the Hindu community, who are now asking questions to explain the demolition act, media reports said here on Wednesday.

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) authorities had apparently issued a notice about the action to be taken in October and pasted the message on the temple's wall, reports added.

The notice was not handed over to the shrine authorities.

Leading ethnic Indian leader and President of the Malaysian Indian Congress, Samy Vellu, has asked the city authorities to explain their action and has warned of personally taking up the matter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister M Saravanan said he was upset over the demolition and would meet Federal Territories minister Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique on Wednesday.

"I have an understanding with the Federal Territories Minister that no existing temples would be demolished unless an alternative site has been given. If there was any development on the land, then the temple would be relocated," he said.

Multi-religious and multi-ethnic Malaysia has a eight per cent ethnic Indian population a majority of whom are Tamil Hindus.

Saravanan has asked Hindus to give the ministry a day or two before the issue could be resolve amicably.