DAP national vice chairman, M. Kula Segaran said this was promised by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who stated the hearing was a necessary measure for all parties, including the Ashram's trustees, who are opposing the move to grant it heritage status.
Kula Segaran said Nazri promised to hold a formal hearing at a meeting between the minister and other lawmakers, including Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun and DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng to discuss the state of the 110-year-old Ashram, which has been earmarked for development.
"Nazri is most accommodative of our suggestion to declare the ashram grounds as heritage.
"However, in view of the trustees’ objections, a formal open hearing of the matter will be conducted soon for all parties to be given an opportunity for their views, suggestions and opinions to be heard," Kula Segaran said in a statement today.
Kula Segaran said Nazri had also expressed shock that the trustees were objecting to the conferting of heritage status to Vivekananda Ashram.
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"The issue of declaring heritage status for the ashram was raised in Parliament late last year. The Heritage Department then followed up by issuing a written notice under Section 272(2) of the National Heritage Act on January 14.
"However the notice expired last Thursday, and a day before that, the Ashram Trustees submitted a last-minute objection to the proposal to grant heritage status to Vivekenanda Ashram," said Kula Segaran.
Kula Segaran said Nazri had agreed there was an overwhelming need to preserve Vivekenanda Ashram after meeting with local leaders and politicians who supported conserving the iconic building in the middle of Little India in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
"The Ashram stands out as a historical iconic building that is also a tourist attraction to this area. It is the last bastion of a century-old culture of the Indian community.
"It is most sad and shocking that the Ashram's board of trustees are not with the local community on this issue," said Kula Segaran.
The DAP lawmaker added that Nazri also gave assurance that the tourism ministry would be in touch with the Federal Territories ministry as the authority in charge of deciding on the proposed redevelopment of the ashram into a 23-story residential tower with 264 units and an eight-storey car park.
In November last year, Nazri said hearings on any objection to the plan to gazette the site as a national heritage were expected to be held between March and May this year
He said the same process will be repeated again in June until its final hearing in September.
"If everything goes according to procedure, the minister will make a decision on this in October," he had said.
He said if the ministry did not receive any objection, the site could be gazetted as a national heritage site as early as March this year.
During a visit to the ashram last November, Nazri also revealed that the Vivekananda Ashram Board had rejected an initial offer by the national heritage department on November 13, 2008, to gazette the site as a national heritage.
Non-governmental organisations, concerned individuals and political parties then came together after it was revealed there were plans to develop the site into a multi-storey apartment building.
A signature drive was carried out, with tens of thousands signing the petition to save the ashram from redevelopment, and handed over to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
The Vivekananda Ashram Board of Trustees defended their redevelopment proposal, saying that the move would provide funds for schools and charity homes under its care and for its future plans.
In the campaign, Brickfields Asia College co-founder Raja Singham, who was instrumental in efforts to save the site, had offered to start a fund to save the Vivekananda Ashram and started the ball rolling with RM1 million.
Following the furore, the ashram management committee finally broke its silence and stated that its redevelopment plans did not include demolishing the building. Instead the building would remain intact and the Swami Vivekananda statue outside the building would be retained. – March 24, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/tourism-minister-promises-public-hearing-on-heritage-status-for-brickfields#sthash.c3MXUJuf.dpuflvbala,
This issue has been lingering around for sometimes and I come in light about this Ashram after I received a whats app announcing all Tamil Malaysian to support to keep the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfield.
Many including me would understand how much the ashram has contribute to Tamil society in the region. Uncountable numbers of good deeds, helping the poor and the needy is part of the asram contribution which doesn't count on race and religion base.
I would say, this ashram has been declared as a Heritage by UNESCO and could not understand how far this place guaranteed protected or shall I say reserved.
Anyway, I do believe this Ashram shall nnot be reserved because its belongs to the Indian community, who cares to protect it?
It doesn't bring any benefits to the country, It doesn't bring any benefits to other race in Malaysia. It doesn't serve any purpose to the BUMIS or Malaysia.
And why wasting time and energy to protect the old building?
I am always 99% good in guessing. I am guessing this is what will happen to this Ashram.
All comments are good comments. There are no bad comments or good comments. So everyone have the right to comment. How about you?
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