KUALA LUMPUR — Selangor executive councillor V. Papparaidu has reiterated his stance on the proposed Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple escalator project, maintaining that it cannot proceed unless the temple is formally registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
Responding to a legal demand issued against him over his earlier remarks, Papparaidu said compliance with existing laws and approval procedures cannot be circumvented by citing historical court orders without a proper legal basis.
“The existence of an old court order from 1930 cannot be publicly used as a justification to avoid compliance with present-day approval processes without sound legal research,” he said in a statement today.
He stressed that RoS registration is a prerequisite for the state government and technical agencies to extend assistance and facilitate approvals, adding that this is necessary to ensure the project is implemented in an orderly and lawful manner.
Papparaidu said the requirement was agreed in principle during a meeting between Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Batu Caves temple management on February 4, 2025.
TOL rejection and legal demand
Addressing the rejection of a Temporary Occupation Licence (TOL) application linked to the project, Papparaidu clarified that the submission was made under an individual’s name and therefore failed to meet regulatory requirements.
He added that he was prepared to submit further documentation and explanations, subject to the consent of the Menteri Besar, if necessary.
Papparaidu was referring to statements involving chairman and trustee of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Dhevasthanam (SMMDT), Tan Sri R. Nadarajah, who earlier this week issued a Letter of Demand (LoD) to the former over allegedly defamatory statements.
The statements were allegedly made in two TikTok postings on June 7, 2025, one in Malay and another in Tamil, relating to the escalator project application.
“All statements made were in my official capacity, based on facts and matters of public interest, and intended to provide accurate explanations to the public. They were not meant to defame any party,” he said.
Papparaidu also rejected claims by Nadarajah that agreements involving Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Selangor Menteri Besar and the state government did not help facilitate approval of the escalator project, unlike the approval given for a multipurpose hall.
According to Papparaidu, the claims followed a media statement on December 30, 2025, during which journalists were invited to question the prime minister and the Menteri Besar about why the escalator application had yet to be approved.— January 10, 2026