BATU CAVES ESCALATOR: PAPPARAIDU TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE WITH TEMPLE MANAGEMENT ON JAN 25 

SHAH ALAM, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Selangor’s Exco for Human Resources, Poverty Eradication, and Orang Asli and Minority Affairs, V. Papparaidu, will hold a press conference with the Batu Caves temple management on Jan 25 to clarify issues regarding the proposed escalator construction at Batu Caves.

He said that this step is being taken to ensure all matters are handled harmoniously, maturely, and in an orderly manner, especially ahead of the upcoming Thaipusam festival.

“We are about to celebrate Thaipusam, and I want to emphasise that I have no intention of prolonging this issue to the point of disrupting the harmony and preparations for the festival. On Jan 25, I will visit Batu Caves for a joint press conference with the temple management,” he said in an Instagram post.

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Papparaidu further explained that old court orders, including those issued around 1930, cannot be used to bypass compliance with modern laws enacted by Parliament and enforced by authorities, such as laws pertaining to the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

He noted that in the legal hierarchy, old court orders sit below parliamentary acts.

“Therefore, if ROS laws mandate that an organisation must be registered, an old order that only touches on matters of trusts or trustees cannot be used as an excuse to avoid that obligation, unless there is a clear exemption within the law itself,” he said.

On Jan 16, Papparaidu stated that the Selangor Government rejected an application for a Temporary Occupation License (TOL) for commercial use - which included the proposed escalator construction - based on constitutional provisions.

Papparaidu clarified that the application was submitted under an individual's name rather than a registered association. This contradicts land regulations under the National Land Code, which only permits approvals to be granted to associations registered with the ROS.

He added that the state government has yet to receive a full report on the registration status of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple Devasthanam Association with the ROS, despite the Selangor State Executive Council (MMKN) previously setting registration as a prerequisite for approval.

Previously, Batu Caves Temple Chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah claimed that the state government administration was not serious about resolving the proposed escalator construction and related developments at the Batu Caves area.

-- BERNAMA