PETALING JAYA: A Hindu non-governmental organisation (NGO) has called for the sacking of seven officials from the board of trustees of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Batu Caves over allegations of mismanagement of temple funds.
In addition, the NGO – Hindu Agamam Ani Malaysia Association – also wants all 69 members of the temple’s several sub-committees to resign.
The allegations centre around a RM250 million commercial and residential properties project in Sungai Tua inked in 2014 between the temple committee and a property developer.
The call came on the heels of the arrest of three persons, including a senior member of the temple committee, by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Monday.
The NGO’s chairman Arun Dorasamy said the board must call for an emergency meeting to expel the seven members, including the chairman of the board, for their involvement in the project.
“We also want all 69 members of the various sub-committees to resign to pave the way for fresh elections.”
The temple committee has 23 sub-committees, with three members each.
Arun said he would take legal action to suspend the board and have an interim committee hold fresh elections.
“We want the attorney-general to intervene. If you have taken even just one sen from the temple, we will come after you,“ he told a press conference yesterday. Also present were the NGO’s legal advisers.
On a separate matter, Arun alleged that the senior committee member who was detained by MACC had encroached on government land when he built his house in Kota Damansara.
He said a total of 4,000sq ft of state land was taken up for a swimming pool.
“We lodged a report with the Petaling Jaya City Council last year. We even submitted a technical drawing to prove our case but no action has been taken,“ he said.
Arun said when council failed to investigate, he took the matter up with the Selangor MACC in January.
“I also want the mayor and and the Selangor mentri besar to intervene and seal the house,“ he added.
