Berjaya Corp founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan has proposed a crowdfund to buy the land where the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is located. Called the “Save Seafield Temple Fund”, it will be managed by theSun.
He has also offered to contribute RM500,000 to kickstart the fund-raising campaign. The 1.1-acre temple land is said to be valued between RM14.37mil and RM15.33mil.
“The public can buy the land, pay off the developer and let the temple stay,” Tan said. “It will be difficult to expect the Selangor state government to buy the land.
“We are confident that more Malaysians are prepared to donate to keep the temple. Malaysians are by nature respectful of all places of worship.”
Tan Sri Barry Goh, who previously headed MCT Bhd until it was taken over by Ayala Land from the Philippines, also pledged RM500,000 to the fund. He is a non-independent and non-executive director at MCT.
MCT Bhd is owned by Ayala Land, a unit of Philippines conglomerate Ayala Corporation, which in turn controls One City Development that owns the land on which the temple sits.
The issue of the relocation of the temple triggered riots early Monday and Tuesday near the temple, resulting in a firefighter being seriously injured, several other people also hurt, 23 cars torched and a section of the One City Mall damaged.
Tan Sri David Kong of the Nirvana Group has also pledged RM500,000. This takes to the fund to RM1.5 mil on the day it was mooted.
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/save-seafield-temple-fund-kicks-off-with-rm1-5mil-FY188403