THE house in Taman Yarl, Kuala Lumpur, which nearby residents have alleged is being illegally used as a Chinese temple (tokong) will be inspected.
Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud said he would send a team of enforcement officers to check on the premises that was also said to be conducting open burning activities.
The mayor, however, said he viewed the prayer activities as an individual religious observance that should not be made an issue.
When StarMetro highlighted the issue and residents’ plight in December last year, DBKL had said it would take action.
The residents said it has been nine months since then and the prayer activities at the house were still ongoing.
DBKL Planning Department confirmed in a Jan 28, 2025, letter that the property was strictly residential and had no planning approval for renovation, extension or temple-related structures.
The complaint was referred to its Enforcement Department, but residents said no action followed.
A view from the main road shows that the double-storey semi-detached house is concealed with tarpaulin and screens.
But its next-door neighbour Uma Devi Panchacharam has a clear view from her bedroom of prayer rituals, open flames and smoke rising just metres from her window.
Uma Devi, 52, said nothing had changed except that the operation was now less visible from outside.
She said smoke still entered her home, soot settled on her clothes and her family kept the windows shut.
“The country is treating the haze as a serious public health threat, yet we are being exposed to additional smoke next to our home,” she said.
“We are not asking DBKL to interfere with anyone’s religion.
“We are asking it to stop activities at premises not approved for such use and which are affecting neighbouring families.
“At the very least, all burning and large-scale prayer activities must stop until DBKL completes its investigation,” she added.
Uma Devi said she would not hesitate to take legal action against DBKL and the neighbour if the matter remained unresolved.
A lorry was recently photographed at the house at about 2am where residents claimed it delivered prayer paper, religious statues, chairs and large metal vessels.
Photographs and videos supplied to StarMetro showed ritual paper, lion statues, incense burners and cooking vessels stored there.
Other images show rituals involving large joss sticks and paper being burned openly.
“People continue coming for rituals while residents deal with the smoke, noise and pests.
“DBKL said action would be taken, but nothing has changed.
“How much more evidence do the authorities need?”
Ravindran Sivasupramaniam, 61, said smoke repeatedly entering neighbouring homes raised genuine health concerns.
“DBKL must treat this as urgent. Residents should not have to wait until someone falls ill before action is taken.”
Seputeh People’s Representative Council Zone 6 chairman Alvin T. Ariaratnam said the owner denied operating a temple.
“The owner claimed prayers were held only once a year and that only incense was burned,” he said.
Alvin said the video and photographic evidence, however, pointed to activities beyond private worship.
“Taken together, the evidence suggests a serious nuisance, with potential health and fire safety implications.
“This cannot simply be dismissed as a dispute between two households.
“DBKL must urgently investigate the actual use of the premises,” he added.
