Sue former Hindu temple chairman to get back money, land, says task force

Noel Achariam Noel Achariam Updated 7 years ago · Published on 21 Dec 2018 7:00AM · 8 Comments

Save Seafield Temple Task Force secretary V. K. Regu (in spectacles) says the current temple committee does not have the RM1.5 million or the title to the land that were given to the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in 2014, and the developer should sue to previous temple committee over the missing money and document. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 21, 2018.

THE Selangor government is asking the wrong party to return the money and land given to the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya for its relocation, said the Save Seafield Temple Task Force.

Task force secretary V. K. Regu said the RM1.5 million and land title were handed over to the former temple committee under a consent judgment in 2014.

He said the current committee was not involved in the deal between the then temple chairman K. Chellapa and developer One City Development Bhd.

“We have nothing to do with the deal. We were never involved,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The issue of the relocation of the Hindu temple, which is tied to the land on which it sits, looks set to be resolved with the intervention of the Attorney-General’s Chambers. The temple is to remain and the land held in a court-administered trust.

However, as part of the deal, the temple is to return the RM1.5 million it received as compensation and a piece of land in USJ 23, Subang Jaya into which it was to move, said Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

This has left the task force – which manages the temple now – in a dilemma as it has neither the money nor the land title in its possession.

Regu said the documents were with Chellapa and the developer.

“We don’t know anything about the compensation and the land.

“All we know now is that the temple is under the supervision of the AGC and we are dealing with them,” Regu said.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari (left) and unity miniters P. Waytha Moorthy announcing the settlement plan of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple issue during a press conference on November 29. The temple has to return the RM1.5 million and the land it was supposed to move to that was given as compensation by the developer. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, December 20, 2018.

Task force member Elangovan Annamalai agreed that it was Chellapa who had received the compensation and the rights to the land.

Elangovan said it was Chellapa’s responsibility now to return the money, as it was part of the settlement suggested by Attorney-General Tommy Thomas for the handover of the temple land, which sparked riots in Seafield last month.

“If he (Chellapa) is avoiding everyone because he had used the money, then this one guy has become a millionaire while everyone else is angry,” said Elangovan.

“If he does not want to give the money back, the developer should sue him.”

The Malaysian Insight had attempted to contact Chellapa on several occasions but calls and text messages to his handphone were never answered.

Amirudin had said the Sri Maha Mariamman temple management should return the land and the RM1.5 million in accordance with the settlement made by the attorney-general.

In Thomas’ proposed solution, One City will transfer the title of the land where the temple states to a trust administered by the High Court. One City expressed support for the settlement.

The land was awarded to One City under a consent judgment on March 11, 2014.

The Shah Alam High Court had then ruled that 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 while the Selangor government allocated a piece of land, located about 3km away, for the relocation of the temple.

The temple at USJ25, near Subang Jaya, was the scene of riots on November 26 and 27, sparked by attacks on worshippers by a group of men. Cars were torched and property damaged in the violence, believed to have been due to a dispute over the temple’s proposed relocation. – December 21, 2018.

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Comments

  • Then there will never a settlement, whatever settled will be denied by next successive commitee. The temple sit on a land not belong to them, they are squatters.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tiong Fee Chua · Reply

  • Then there will never a settlement, whatever settled will be denied by next successive commitee. The temple sit on a land not belong to them, they are squatters.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tiong Fee Chua · Reply

  • Gods are waiting.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Hindu temple committee chairman cheats temple devotees. That's a familiar occurrence in many temples in Malaysia. Time for the community to stop this scourge.

    Posted 7 years ago by Panchen Low · Reply

  • If it is the truth that the Chellapa fellow has taken the money and documents are with him, lodge a police report and take him to court. This the Seafield Temple Taskforce could do so or even the Selangor Government . I can bet cha , that Chellapa will surface out from the lubang cacing immediately.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • The developer surely has all the documents but why are they not pursuing Chellapa? The fund raising campaign has also stopped.The path to settlement is getting complicated and difficult.

      Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Bring Chellapa to JUSTICE. Every problem in this world can be SOLVED . VIOLENCE Cannot Solve Problem . JUSTICE Seen to be Done can SOLVE PROBLEM.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • All time drama!

    Posted 7 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply