Accept Court decision, forget judicial review, ashram trustees urged

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 12): DAP National vice-chairman has urged the Vivekananda Ashram trustees not to appeal the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s dismissal today of their application for a judicial review of the federal government’s decision to gazette the ashram.

M Kula, who is also Ipoh Barat MP, said in a statement that the trustees should engage with the people if they wished to raise funds instead of developing the historical land.

"The trustees should not have any commercial aims to make money by redeveloping the site. If they have any reason to raise money, discuss it and engage with the community, who will be more than happy to assist," he said.

Kula said development and commercial activities on the site would compromise the heritage value of the iconic ashram.

He saluted Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz for his refusal to meet with the trustees who hoping for a reversal of his decision to gazette the ashram.

"I met Nazri in Parliament on Jan 8 and he told me that he would not meet and the trustees as his decision to gazette the site was final and irrevocable. He said his decision was for the benefit of all Malaysians," he said.

Kula said the membership in the ashram should also be opened to all who subscribed to the principles of Vivekananda Ashram.

The Malaysian Insider previously reported that about a hundred residents and members of various non-governmental organisations held a candlelight vigil on the evening of the Vivekanda AGM last year, to protest the trustees' court action to stop the government from gazetting the ashram as a heritage site. -- The Malaysian Insider

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