KUALA LUMPUR, 11 Nov 2009: There was a brief uproar during the Dewan Rakyat sitting today when a Member of Parliament questioned how a piece of land gazetted as a site for a mosque could be developed into a commercial building.
Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju) demanded an explanation from Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin on why a piece of land in Sri Hartamas, which had been designated as a site for a mosque, had been developed into a condominium and shopping complex.
“I was made to understand that in the Kuala Lumpur City Draft Plan 2020, there is a piece of land in Sri Hartamas which had been gazetted as a site for the Desa Sri Hartamas mosque.
“We support [the building of the mosque], but what we can’t accept is how the land designated as a site for a mosque can be converted into a project for a condominium and shopping complex.
“I understand that the land has been sold to a private company for RM30 million. Please investigate the matter,” he said.
In his explanation, Raja Nong Chik said the land belonged to the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi), which had decided to build the mosque elsewhere.
“As the land was vacant, there was a possibility that a certain party had suggested to Jawi to develop the site,” he said.
Dissatisfied with the reply, Wee stood up to ask Raja Nong Chik to state the new location for the mosque concerned.
“Honourable Minister, now where is the mosque? I don’t see any mosque in Sri Hartamas,” Wee said.
Raja Nong Chik responded by saying that it was more appropriate for Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, who was more knowledgeable on matters concerning religion, to reply.
To this, Wee said Raja Nong Chik was evading the issue, and continued to question the minister, who eventually said the mosque was not built there because the Federal Territory Mosque on Jalan Duta was located near the area.
The heated exchange between Wee and Raja Nong Chik was interrupted when the house adjourned for lunch. When the sitting resumed later, Raja Nong Chik gave assurance that he would investigate the matter as he did not have any details on the matter at the time. — Bernama
megabigBLUR says
Hahaha this is 1Malaysia in a way that the Barisan government probably *doesn’t* want…a non-Muslim opposition politician asking for a masjid!