KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple faction fighting to remain at the current site still has legal options available, said the prime minister after the High Court dismissed today the group’s application to stay the court-mandated relocation.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told reporters today that the matter could be pursued all the way up to the Federal Court.
“We have three layers of courts. If the first level makes a decision, you can appeal it to the second (level) and then you can appeal to the third. Finally, if the third layer says something, that is final” said Dr Mahathir when asked on the options available to the group.
However, he noted that the High Court previously granted an order for the temple to be relocated and that the temple’s task force did not comply.
Dr Mahathir observed that the previous ruling was in favour of the landowner, developer One City Development Sdn Bhd, but expressed suspicion that the firm had tried to take matters into its own hands.
“So, according to the courts, the developer has the right. So I believe the developer is trying to move the temple by themselves and, in the process, they used Malays. We don’t ask Malays to protect a Hindu temple as much as we don’t ask Hindus to protect mosques.
“What happened is that this incident (the violent riots at the temple) happened as a result of that. But we are still bound by the decision of the court,” Dr Mahathir explained.
He also said that Putrajaya could not interfere in the land dispute as the state has full jurisdiction over the matter instead of the federal government.
At the same time, the prime minister also promised to look into the dispute to ensure that such incidents will not occur again.
“One of the problems with such incidents is that places of worship are built on land that does not belong to them. Then when the owner claims it, there is a problem.
“So in the future all places of worship must first get permission from the state government before they can build such places,” said Dr Mahathir.
He also said that the full brunt of the law will be applied on the developer if they were found to have committed any crimes.
