SELANGOR Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari today said the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple management should return a piece of land and the RM1.5 million it received in compensation in light of a settlement worked out by the attorney-general.

In a statement, Amirudin said the Selangor government welcomed the solution proposed by the A-G, as it was based on the rule of law.

“In relation to this, the Selangor government is of the view that the one-acre (or 0.4ha relocation) land and RM1.5 million (previously) paid by the developer as compensation should be returned as part of the solution proposed by the attorney-general,” he said in a statement.

The temple, located at USJ25 near Subang Jaya, was the scene of violent riots on November 26 and 27 over dispute to its proposed relocation, with worshippers assaulted by a group of men and cars torched.

In Thomas’ proposed solution, One City will transfer the 0.4ha plot that the temple currently sits on to a trust to be administered by the High Court.

Thomas said the A-G, with powers as guardian of the public interest with regard to charitable trusts, will apply to the High Court, under Section 9 of the Government Proceedings Act 1956, for orders to constitute the trust and the appointment of trustees to manage the trust and the temple.

“The High Court will be invited to appoint a Receiver, who will be a person of repute, standing and integrity acceptable to all the disputants, who as an officer of the Court will have control and direction over the trustees of the temple, and subject to Court supervision,” the A-G said yesterday.

“At the appropriate time, the High Court will be invited to transfer the ownership of the land on which the temple is situated to the trustees.

“In order to ensure impartiality and neutrality amongst the various groups in the temple, the Attorney-General hopes to be represented in all the applications before the High Court.

“In the spirit of consensus, and a give-and-take approach by all the parties concerned, an amicable resolution of all the matters in dispute can be achieved in the coming months.”

The proposal was thrashed out after he and lawyers representing the four parties involved in the dispute had, what Thomas described as, a “useful and productive meeting” earlier this week at his office.

One City expressed support for the settlement.

The present site was awarded to One City Development Sdn Bhd under a consent judgment on March 11, 2014.

The Shah Alam High Court  had then ruled taht the four parties – the Selangor government, One City and two individuals claiming to be the temple administrators – agreed to the relocation of the temple and to return the present temple site to the owner, One City.

As part of the deal, One City agreed to deposit RM1.5 million with the temple and the Selangor government allocates a piece of land, located about three kilometres away, for the relocation of the temple. – December 15, 2018.