Riot breaks out over relocation of temple in USJ
Monday, 26 Nov 20189:31 AM MYT
by farik zolkepli and mei mei chu
PETALING JAYA: A riot broke out early Monday (Nov 26) over the relocation of a temple in Seafield here leading to several vehicles being set on fire.
It started as a protest to stop the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ25 from being relocated to another site in USJ23.
Videos of the incident have gone viral, showing the protest turning aggressive as people cheered after watching a vehicle set on fire.
In another video, a car was flipped upside down and the Fire and Rescue Department was seen on the scene.
A Selangor Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said several vehicles were set ablaze during the 2am protest.
It is learnt that Federal Reserved Unit (FRU) personnel are deployed to ensure the situation does not worsen.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Mazlan Mansor said he was going there to oversee the situation.
"Police personnel are already at the site to maintain order and the safety of the public.
"I am also going there to see the situation for myself," he said when contacted.
It was reported that Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple taskforce leader S. Ramaji said they want Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to intervene and save the temple from being relocated.
Ramaji claimed that the taskforce and temple devotees suspected foul play in the relocation due to contradicting facts from a consent judgment and press statements.
He also alleged that the consent judgment had been breached.
Ramaji also claimed that the existing land was supposed to be allocated to the temple by former state exco members in 1987 but is unsure how the decision had been revoked.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/26/riot-breaks-out-over-relocation-of-temple-in-usj/#DcyEoG6FgVMIA3rc.99
Violent scuffle erupts over relocation of Seafield temple
PETALING JAYA: A violent scuffle reportedly erupted early this morning over the relocation of a temple in Seafield, Subang Jaya, with several vehicles set on fire near the USJ exit on the Elite highway.
According to social media posts, the Federal Reserve Unit was called in to control the situation, which was said to have flared up at about 2-3am.
Video clips of the purported incident showed traffic at a standstill as a crowd gathered in front of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ 25.
It is understood that the temple devotees had been keeping a 24-hour vigil there.
When contacted by FMT, Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor said he was going to the site of the alleged scuffle.
The temple had been slated for relocation on Nov 22 as part of a win-win court solution involving the developer One City, the Selangor state government and two claimants to the temple management, K Chellappa and M Nagaraju.
However, a faction at the temple insisted that it remain in its present location despite agreeing to a consent judgment for its relocation in 2014.
Chellappa and Nagaraju, who were involved in a separate suit over the control of the temple management, agreed to hand back the land to One City after it agreed to donate RM1.5 million to build a new temple on one of two plots of land given to the temple by One City.
Chellappa was named as the rightful temple manager, but Nagaraju had refused to abide by the 2014 High Court consent judgment to relocate.
On Nov 23, One City denied agreeing to postpone the relocation to Nov 29, saying the final date for the temple occupants to vacate the land remained Nov 22, as per the writ of possession from the High .
