Nazri serves notice of intent to gazette ashrama as national heritage site

KUALA LUMPUR: The century-old Vivekananda Ashrama in Brickfields appears to have been saved from demolition as the government has decided to declare it a national heritage site.
Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz announced today that he has served notice to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the trustees of the Vivekananda Ashrama that he intends to gazette the building as such.
Despite the board of trustees declining offers to gazette the site previously, Nazri said the notice dated Nov 12 has been served, and by December, DBKL can conduct the public objection period for 21 days.
"If there are no objections, it will be gazetted in March," Nazri told the Dewan Rakyat today.
The minister's move was made in the wake of a public outcry following news last month that the trustees planned to redevelop the site into a 23-storey apartment block.
It was reported that in November 2008, an offer to gazette the ashram as a heritage site was turned down by the ashram's board of trustees.
Nazri said that after visiting the ashram on Nov 6, he served the notice on Nov 12 to preserve the site as a heritage.
"We will issue the government gazette notice in December to list the site as a national heritage, and later we will file a notice of intent at the land office for the purpose," he said.
"If the due process goes well, the ashram will be gazetted in March next year," he said, adding that if these efforts are unsuccessful, the ministry will ultimately proceed to court to gazette the building as a heritage site.
Nazri added that he plans to meet Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to discuss how to ensure the site is maintained and not to allow the developer to carry out any demolition of the historical building.
The controversy had led to protests from the Indian community and an online petition against the redevelopment.
The board had defended its action that the move would provide funds for schools and charity homes under its care and for its future plans.
On Nov 9, some 300 people, including politicians from both sides of the divide, turned up in a show of support to save the building.
The Save Vivekananda Ashram Interim Task Force also initiated a signature drive to stop the redevelopment plans.
By the last day for residents to record their objections on Nov 11, a total of 48,201 objections to the proposed redevelopment of the ashram were collected and submitted to City Hall.