July 27, 2013: ENFORCEMENT officers have sealed off the Batu Caves cable-car project site after the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) was tipped off on the construction work that had resumed.

The Batu Caves temple management was also slapped with two compounds totalling RM26,000.

The officers were recalled from their holiday yesterday to take the immediate action after the management defied the stop-work order issued by MPS on June 6.

StarMetro was tipped off by sources that sub-soil piling works had been carried out on Thursday evening, and a check yesterday morning revealed that the piledriver was still at the cable-car site.

According to the same sources, the piledriver had been operating for about two weeks.

“There are no specific work times. Sometimes, the piling starts in the morning and can go on past 4pm,” said the source.

When contacted, MPS president Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain said the council had not withdrawn the stop-work order nor issued a new notice allowing work to continue at the site.

“There should be no work done once we issued the June notice.

“If the council had agreed to let work continue, we would have sent a new notice,” said Mohd Azizi yesterday.

“If the management continues to do piling work, we may have to seize the equipment and machinery,” he added.

State executive councillor for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Elizabeth Wong expressed concern over the latest development.

“The temple must follow the rules, especially pertaining to Environment Department (DOE) guidelines. Public safety is our priority,” said Wong in an SMS to StarMetro.

Earlier this week during the council’s board meeting, Mohd Azizi said existing structures in the temple complex needed to be legalised first before the cable-car project could continue. However, only 50% of the documents required had been submitted.

In the operation yesterday, the team led by MPS Building Department director Azam Mohamad and Enforcement officer Paramasivam Chelliah sealed off the piledriver with yellow tape.

Paramasivam explained that MPS had issued the two compounds under the Streets, Drainage and Building Act 1974.

While there were no ugly scenes, a couple of men carrying walkie-talkies and earlier seen observing the MPS personnel at work, approached the council officers to ask why they were sealing off the site and the piling machine. They also asked the council to allow them to remove the machinery.

They were denied the request.

“If they want to resume work on the cable-car project, the temple committee will need to send in all their supporting documents for the existing structures,” said Paramasivam.

The development order for the cable-car project was approved by MPS in late 2011 but a stop-work order was issued later to compel the temple management to submit their documents to legalise the other built structures on the premises.

It is learnt that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is also taking an interest in the issue.

PPP national information chief Datuk A. Chandrakumanan said the party would be holding a press conference on Monday with Malaysia Hindu Sangam.

Source: The Star Online, DT. July 27, 2013.