Vice-president of Yee Lan Sheng Hui (YLSH) Association Veh Chai Hong denied allegations that the association was planning to build a temple on a plot of contested land, which sparked protests by some 300 villagers in the area.
“In fact, we are not. We will just have a hall and a office over there,” he said, referring to a statement made by protesters that building religious-based premises was unsuitable in the Malay-majority area.
Veh said the application to build a hall on the plot of land was approved by Majlis Perbandaran Selayang (MPS) on 11 May this year.
“So we started putting up signboards two weeks ago.” It was only then the association found that the firm Dynasty Symphony Sdn Bhd had also laid claim to the same plot.
A group of some 20 individuals tore down the signboard put up by the association’s developer, attacking MPS councillor Allan Lim Ching How when he attempted to intervene.
Lim claimed that the assailants declared: “This is tanah Melayu (Malay land), it is our land, not tanah orang Cina (Chinese land).” He also alleged his attackers were members of Perkasa and Pekida.
YLSH Association erected the project sign board last month.
The 2400-feet land plot located at Boston Industrial Park, Sri Gombak was previously owned by Umno.
Managing director of Dynasty Symphony Husaini Sulaiman questioned the legitimacy of YLSH’s building approval.
“My company was granted the TOL (temporary occupation license) from 2005-2008. We were the first to be given approval to build five shop houses and one car wash premise there.
“Since Hassan Ali (Gombak assemblyperson) took over the area in 2008, he also has written three letters of support to my company, the latest one this year.”
Husaini said that the MPS president had asked him to renew his TOL. Currently his application is pending at the state land office.
He said he has spent more than RM280,000 on documentation and land-clearing.
“If the final decision is not in my favour, I still hope they will give me something to compensate my loss,” he said.
Both parties lodged separate police reports over the land dispute yesterday.
Veh said his association is willing to have a round table discussion with Dynasty Symphony and MPS to resolve the matter.
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Jimmy Tan
