Temple's Acquisition Appeal Dismissed

Source : The Business Times, February 26, 2008

THE High Court has dismissed an application by three devotees of the Jin Long Si Temple, off Bartley Road, to declare that the acquisition of the temple site violates the Constitution.

The government will now go ahead with the redevelopment of the land unless an appeal is lodged. Temporary and permanent sites have been offered to the temple trustees and committee members, as well as compensation. They will have to move out within two months.

Dismissing the application, the court said the applicants had no standing to make it, and that even if they did, there was no merit in their argument that the government had breached the Constitution. The case was heard in chambers on Jan 29.

The 60-year-old temple in Lorong How Sun was acquired in January 2003 for redevelopment in conjunction with the Circle Line MRT system.

The government gave the temple trustees five years - up to Jan 31 this year - to relocate from the site. Repeated appeals to the government to rethink the acquisition were rejected after due consideration.

The site, with adjoining state land that was formerly the Millenia Institute site, is slated for redevelopment to high-density residential use. The combined plot is scheduled for sale under the Government Land Sales programme in the second half of the year.

The acquisition has generated some controversy. A 100-year-old Bodhi tree, which is important to Buddhists, stands in the grounds and many have called for the tree to be preserved.

It is feared that redevelopment of the temple site, which sits on 1,840 sq metres of land, may damage the tree.

But the government has said measures will be taken to help preserve the Bodhi tree, which is more than 30 metres high.

The tender conditions for the redevelopment of the site will require the developer to retain the tree, the government has said.