Published: Wednesday November 11, 2009 MYT 6:06:00 PM
Parliament: Mosque issue causes uproar
KUALA LUMPUR: There was a brief uproar during the Dewan Rakyat sitting Wednesday when an opposition Member of Parliament questioned why a piece of land gazetted as a site for a mosque was developed for a commercial building.
Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju), who raised the matter, 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 that had been designated as a site for a mosque had instead been used for 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 was converted into a project for a condominium and shopping complex.
“I understand that the land has been sold to a private company for RM30mil. 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.
Not satisfied with the reply, Wee stood up to ask Raja Nong Chik to reveal 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 the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom, who is more knowledgeable about the issue, to reply on matters concerning religion.
To this, Wee said that Raja Nong Chik was evading the issue and continued to press the minister who eventually said that the mosque was not built there because the Federal Territory Mosque at Jalan Duta was located near the area.
The heated exchange between Wee and Raja Nong Chik was interrupted when the House adjourned for its lunch break, and when the sitting resumed later, Raja Nong Chik gave an assurance that he would investigate the matter as he did not have any details on the matter at the moment. -- Bernama
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