Century-old Kajang temple wins land and cash from developer

A decade-long battle for a Hindu temple in Kajang to obtain a piece of land has ended on a happy note through an out-of-court settlement.

The Sri Maha Mariamman Ladang Baemar (Saujana Impian) temple was given 0.44ha of land, about 300m from its current location by land owner Bandar Subang Sdn Bhd.

Besides the land, the company also contributed RM600,000 to the temple for the relocation exercise as part of the settlement.

It also agreed to provide the infrastructure like water and electricity to the new site.

The terms and condition of the settlement also stated that the company would provide another alternative site if the authorities were unable to gazette the current proposed plot as a place of worship for Hindus.

Temple committee legal adviser Alagendra Ramani said there was now certainty for 500 devotees who worshipped at the temple.

"We are glad that the matter has come to an amicable solution without having to fight it in court," he told The Malaysian Insider.

The committee and the company have spent nearly 10 years negotiating on an alternative site to locate the temple, which is believed to have been established 100 years ago.

In April this year, the company ordered the temple management committee to surrender the land.

Met with their refusal, the company went to court.

Alagendra said both parties finalised the terms and conditions after four court mediation meetings.

Today, the consent judgment was recorded before judicial commissioner Choo Kah Sing in the Shah Alam High Court.

Lawyer Vignesh Perumal appeared for the temple committee while the company was represented by K. Santhrasegaran.

The temple was part of the Hindu community in the former Braemar rubber estate which was owned by Harrison & Crossfield (M) Bhd.

Sometime in the 1980s, the estate owner sold the property, spanning about 400ha to several developers.

However, the Kajang local authorities did not approve Bandar Subang's plan to build double-storey homes until the temple was relocated. – November 10, 2014.