Madani like the Taliban is destroying Buddhist temples
Madani like the Taliban is destroying Buddhist temples
The coming destruction of the Dhamma Sakyamuni Caves Monastery
Just as the Taliban Regime in Afghanistan destroyed the Bamiyan Buddha statues back in 2001, The Perak State Government is allowing the destruction of a century old Buddhist temple at Gunung Kathan, within the Kinta National Geopark, in the middle of the Kinta Valley.
The Dhamma Sakyamuni Caves Monastery has been established for more than 100 years, and has been a centre of dharma teaching, meditation, and tourism for many decades. The monastery once stood with a backdrop of beautiful limestone mountains, which added character to the temple. The area is also home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna, some unique to Malaysia. Slowly, over the decades, limestone mining has been destroying the limestone mountains in the Kinta Valley.
Back in the 1960’s Associated Pan Malaysian Cement (APMC) acquired a lease from the Perak State government for a 146 Hectare plot of land for the purpose of quarrying limestone for cement manufacture. APMC began operations in 1964 to grind up limestone to produce cement to meet the demands of a rapidly growing construction industry.
In 1997, APMC management assured the monks they could continue to inhabit the temple site. Following these assurances, the temple invested millions of Ringgit, from donations to develop the site for devotees and tourists. The commitment from the company that the monastery could remain was reaffirmed once again in 2009.
In 2013, the Perak State government verbally assured the monks at the monastery, the temple would be gazetted as a place of worship, once APMC’s lease had expired. APMC’s lease ended in 2020, but was renewed for another 30 years. The monastery was never gazetted, even though the monastery is one of the Kinta Valley’s tourist attractions.
The Sultan of Perak declared Gunung Kathan where the monastery is located, one of a number of limestone geological parks in the Kinta Valley Geopark. However, this is not legally binding upon land owners.
In 2021, APMC under its new owner YTL Corporation, had a change of heart and sort to evict the monks as squatters, who have occupied the land illegally, without the consent of APMC.
Court cases
Court action was taken by APMC in 2022, where a High Court order was sort for the eviction of squatters from Lot 46497 in Hulu Kinta, where Gunung Kathan and the monastery are located. This application was dismissed by Judge Bhupinder Singh, citing the monastery had demonstrated that they were not squatters and had a strong arguable defence against the eviction.
This decision was overturned on appeal, when the three judge bench accepted APMC’s lawyer’s arguments that as registered owners (Leasee), they were entitled to succeed in a summary application for possession.
The tragedy for the monastery is the court refused to grant a stay of execution pending an appeal with the Federal Court.
State government at fault
Successive Perak state governments have been at fault for allowing the situation occur, where a corporation can destroy a Buddhist monastery that has existed in the same location for over 100 years. This is an attack upon Perak’s and Malaysia’s cultural heritage. Reports from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) the area is the home of a number of unique flora and fauna species.
Limestone mountains once gave the Kinta Vally the look of Krabbi and Phang Nga in Thailand’s south, and Da Nang and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. The formations create beautiful vistas and provide a sense of ecological heritage in these locations, which are the basis of mass tourism.
The destruction of a Buddhist monastery that is more than a century old is di-civilization. Malaysia is losing its cultural and spiritual heritage to corporate greed. This is damaging to the soul of the nation.
The destruction of Dhamma Sakyamuni Caves Monastery equates to the Taliban destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues. In the Taliban’s case the destruction of the statues was undertaken by zealots with explosives. In the Malaysian case, it will be done by corporate cronies with explosives.
Today in Malaysia, spirituality is being destroyed by bureaucracy and corporate greed in combination. Politicians are only too eager to allow these acts to occur, where profit is placed before the greater benefits for society.
The Taliban now regrets the destruction of the Bumiyan Buddha statues. How long will it take for Malaysians to regret the destruction of the Dhamma Sayamuni Caves Monastery?
YTL Corporation was contacted for comment, but hadn’t replied at the time of publishing.
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Some one said the born again christians of Hainanese origin of the Christian DAP Leadership may save Malaysia. Some one must be seriously joking. With the famed 100 year old Dahmma Sakyamurni Caves Monastery, Ipoh, facing demolition by a rich and mighty Corporation, where is the Christian DAP with its biggest klaxon in Ipoh ? I am a fervent fan of history, Malaysian history. All places of worship and dwellings of famous personalities should be safe-guarded. In my time, I have donated my father's mansion with 13 acres, the biggest in the Straits Settlements for the Istana Negara Malaysia 1957-2010. and many, many more ! Notwithstanding my comment, the purported Corporation can easily donate this lime-stone plot to the impoverished Monastery even though its owners are alleged to be christians. Not only that, this rich and mighty group which was founded by its connection with TDM but no longer. is alleged to have donated to the City of Bath, Herriot-Watts University, King's College London and much more for a KBE title ! Believe it or not. However, our dear CEO of this rich and mighty Corporation should not be bothered with the Karma arising from the Monastery's proposed destruction. However, he has the leeway to take the correct route for the success and prosperity of his Corporation and not be bothered with a piece of lime-stone ! It's sheer commonsense ! Hopefully, a win-win situation typical of Malaysia arise to the eternal happiness of all. concerned. I, for one, always wish all to make money but not at the expense of others !
Malaysian Muslims should cry out loud that our heritage site is lined up for destruction and profit for some.
It's about tolerance, compassion, and mercy for other religion if a Buddhist site is affected. I would expect Mullah Hardy, with or without Mullah Laurel to be a monk the first to stand up to protest the destruction of a Buddhist site, maybe even send in the green army to protect the Buddhist brothers and sisters.
Utility companies are known for their sh*thole mentality and rampant greed, eg when their gomen permitted them to do so, utility companies in the UK lost no time to discharge their effluence, meaning waste water, meaning sh*t and piss water into the rivers and sea. In Britain, if you dare go for a swim you'll only be going through the motion (geddit?)...
The Taliban (the Afghan one) are now carefully sieving through what's left of their destroyed Buddhist statues and piecing them back together. Plus building replacement statues. It's not just the giant statues, the area of Bamiyan hosts caves and grounds with a huge amount of smaller but equally historic statues and carvings. The recovery work has also been privately funded by Chinese individuals and organisations, and also Japanese and Korean ones, Alhamdullilah!
These days Taliban soldiers guide visitors around the area, their job to protect the Buddhist site, Alhamdullilah! Over to you, Malaysian Taliban, pious Muslims, and Mullah Anwar.
Btw, the Chinese mining company extracting copper near another historic Buddhist site in Mes Aynak Afghanistan has been told by the Taliban and the Chinese gomen (I know you and Western media don't like them) to lay off activity that may affect the ancient relics until they are moved for safety.
So, there are Chinese and Chinese.
And Chinese and that fcuking YTL.