KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today insisted that he will attend Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd’s mosque groundbreaking ceremony.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said a new mosque is needed for the Masjid India area other as other nearby mosques are already crowded.
“The prayer areas and mosques there are overcrowded, so a new place is needed. That is why I will proceed with laying the foundation stone for the mosque on the 27th,” he told reporters at the 218th Police Day Celebrations here.
The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled this Thursday, amid public debate over the relocation of Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple which is accused of squatting on the land.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) previously confirmed that the temple will be relocated to another site agreeable to parties involved, following a proposal by landowner Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd to build a mosque on its land.
Jakel Trading bought the plot in question from DBKL in 2014, allegedly without the temple management being informed of the matter.
Lawyers Datuk Ambiga Sreneevasan, and N. Surendran and Zaid Malek from Lawyers for Liberty — who are backing the temple — have previously questioned the hastiness of the groundbreaking ceremony and demanded that sales and purchase agreement of the land be made public.
MORE TO COME
