SHAH ALAM, Nov 29 — The High Court here today dismissed an application filed by the “pro-stay” faction of the Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple to stay its relocation from USJ 25 in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Judge M. Gunalan ruled that the applicants S. Thangaraju, S. Nagarajah and M. Mohanakrishnan had failed to raise reasonable grounds and that the temple must be relocated as the land on which it sits has a new owner.
The decision was delivered in chambers.
Lawyer S. Mogan, representing the temple’s “pro-stay” group, told reporters that its main civil suit against the developer, state government and temple committee will proceed despite today’s court rejection of the stay bid.
The plaintiffs had applied on November 12 to postpone the implementation of the interim consent judgment from March 11, 2014, and writ of possession that was to have been executed on November 22.
Lawyer Claudia Cheah Pek Yee, representing One City Development, said the plaintiffs had no locus standi and that her client is the rightful owner of the land where the temple sits.
The Hindu temple was the site of riots for two straight nights this week that left a number of people injured, and vehicles and properties damaged.
The land upon which the temple is built is now owned by One City Development Sdn Bhd.
A group calling itself the Save Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple task force wants the house of worship to remain at its current location.
A consent judgment was made in March 2014 where all parties agreed to the temple’s relocation.
Taskforce secretary VK Regu told reporters that they might submit an appeal this evening in the interest of upholding justice.
