Devotees at the briefing session following demolition of the temple in Kangkar Pulai.
THE Malai Aalum Murugan Temple committee is hoping to meet with Kulai Municipal Council (MPKu) to find a long-term solution regarding location for the place of worship.
Temple secretary M. Manimaran said the structure was torn down without notice last Dec 15, which was a public holiday in Johor.
He said the temple in Kangkar Pulai, believed to have been around since 1980, saw close to 2,000 visitors a month.
Among the regular visitors who were stunned by its sudden demolition was P. Sumathi, 60.
She had made her way to the temple each week without fail in the past four years.
It was a place close to her heart; more than just a house of worship, it was where she could truly feel calm and at ease, Sumathi said.
“I always looked forward to praying at the temple, and tried to go there as much as I could with my family,” the housewife told StarMetro.
“I was very shocked and disappointed when I found out (that it had been torn down).”
Manimaran: Temple appealed for further extension on the order to vacate site.
Another devotee, quality control inspector S. Krishana Veni, 54, echoed the sentiment.
“I only started coming to this temple about a year ago, but have since been visiting it at least once a week.
“I was really taken aback by what happened,” she added.
Manimaran said: “We were not given notice that the demolition would take place that day, so we were all caught off-guard.
“We only came to know about it when a person who was hiking near the temple took photos and videos, which eventually reached us.”
He said the temple was in Iskandar Puteri parliamentary constituency but under the jurisdiction of MPKu.
Manimaran claimed that the demolition took place while the temple was in the midst of negotiations with the local council.
“We have been in discussions with MPKu since January last year, after receiving a notice to vacate the site.
“We were granted several extensions over the past few months, and based on our last discussion, we had until Oct 31.
“On Oct 9, we submitted another appeal for an extension but did not receive any reply.
“What was even more devastating was the improper removal of deities,” he said.
Earlier, the temple committee alongside social activist Arun Dorasamy of the Agamam Ani Malaysia association held a briefing for devotees, during which they explained the timeline of events.
In a media statement, Johor unity, heritage and culture committee chairman K. Raven Kumar urged all relevant agencies, particularly local authorities, not to carry out hasty actions.
“I express my deep disappointment, regret and dissatisfaction over the action taken by MPKu in demolishing the Malai Aalum Murugan Temple.
“The action was carried out on a state public holiday, without prior notification given to me as the state executive councillor directly responsible for matters concerning non-Islamic places of worship in Johor,” said Raven.
