CORRUPTION in sale of Batu Cave temple land?

PUTRAJAYA - An anti-graft report has been lodged against Batu Caves committee members including its chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah for an alleged corruption in a sale transaction of Batu Caves' 1.6ha land to a housing developer involving RM250 million.

"Save Batu Caves Temple Action Group" member M. Manoharan lodged the report at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya today.

He said he lodged the report based on the meeting minutes dated June 22 which clearly indicated that the committee had committed bribery when it approved the sale of the land belonging to the temple at RM250 million.

"During the meeting, it was also said that the temple will be receiving 25% from the sales amount, prompting some of the committee members to question the amount," he said.

Manoharan alleged that to ensure he (Nadarajah) had the approval from the committee, he told them that he would try to get a house for each of them from the developer following the Batu Caves's land development.

Manoharan claimed that such a promise was deemed to be a shameful act by most of the Hindu devotees, especially when many of the committee members were given the mandate to safeguard all the temple's assets including Batu Caves.

He said the chairman has no authority to sell the temple's assets to any individual.

He added that he did not not understand the rationale behind the committee's decision to sell the land.

Manoharan hoped MACC would initiate an investigation so that the real reason behind the sale will be known to everyone. -Sundaily