November 14, 2012
Former MIDA Chief appointed Chairman,Batu Caves Condo Project Task Force
by Ida Lim@www.themalaysianinsider.com
The Selangor government today said it has appointed former MIDA chief, Datuk N. Sadasivan (left), to head an independent taskforce to study the controversial condominium project in Batu Caves, a project that was approved by a Barisan Nasional (BN) administration in 2007.
Selangor’s announcement today comes two weeks after the state issued a temporary stop-work order on the Dolomite condominium, pending the taskforce’s findings.
“The State Executive Council today agreed to appoint former Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) Director-General Dato’ N. Sadasivan as Chairman of the independent committee to study the approval of the condominium project in Batu Caves,” Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said in a statement today.
Khalid pointed to Sadasivan’s vast experience, noting that he had previously served as a director in a few private companies and two government-owned financial institutions, Bank Negara and Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Berhad, as well as in state oil firm PETRONAS board of directors.
He said the state government would announce the names of the other members later. Khalid said he would meet with the committee this week to inform them of the state’s purpose, adding that the committee would also be tasked with studying other construction projects within the Batu Caves area.
“Among the committee’s scope are to re-evaluate all the development projects that have been done and planned in Batu Caves, and take into account each aspect – including the people’s welfare, the Hindu community’s interest, environmental safety and existing legislation.”
“The state government is of the opinion that this committee’s scrutiny will benefit and add value to efforts to make Batu Caves a UNESCO World Heritage site,” he said.
Selangor today also appointed the Norasiah Bee, the Selangor Rural and Town Planning Department’s Deputy Director, as the secretary of a secretariat to ensure the smooth running of the taskforce.
Khalid also criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise
yesterday to cancel the Dolomite project if BN manages to win back Selangor, describing it as a move to “gain popularity and support” instead of solving problems.
“This unprofessional move by the Prime Minister gives a negative effect on integrity and good governance because any project cancellation has to be done according to procedure,” Khalid said.
He said the state government places priority on the people’s rights and interests, adding that it will not “hesitate” to bring any parties to justice if they were found to be careless or had abused their powers.
Yesterday, Najib also said the BN government would apply to make Batu Caves a UNESCO World Heritage site after Malaysia’s term as a member of the World Heritage Commission ends in 2015.
The 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project has turned into a political crisis as Batu Caves is the religious focal point of Hindu Indians, who form the majority of the 1.7 million Indians and are a key voting group in many urban seats in Selangor.
About 300 Hindu and non-governmental activists joined a “Save Batu Caves” rally in the Batu Caves temple complex to protest against the condominium construction on October 26, saying it was an environmental risk that would jeopardise the temple grounds but did not furnish proof to substantiate their allegations.
The project was given the nod by state authorities in 2007, but MIC and Barisan Nasional (BN) have in recent weeks pressured the current Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration into calling a halt to the project amid a battle for Indian votes.
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
Tan Sri Khalid is to be congratulated for this initiative to diffuse a politically charged situation. Let us look at the composition of the Task Force and its terms of reference. By appointing Datuk Sadasivan, the Selangor Menteri Besar shows us that he is serious about ending this controversy.
Datuk Sadasivan is my University of Malaya classmate and I know him well enough to say that he is the right man to head the Task Force. He will do a good job, if given the right level of support in terms of resources and expertise that he can draw upon to complete the task force report. –Din Merican
Yes, i concur that TS Khalid has made a wise choice. Datuk Sada is well qualified and perhaps not as politically motivated as others.
As for Jibs conditional offer, he is behaving in his usual corrupt, undignified, narcissistic and superficial way. His God complex is truly Pagan.
Sadasivan looks like that today?? A far cry from the way he looked in the ’70s when I was walking the corridors of MIDA and he was heading the Investment Promotion Division (or something that goes by a similar name) – an unassuming guy given the importance of his portfolio he held.
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It is okay. We all age, but we will that gracefully. Sadasivan is a very nice and humble man who continues to serve his country with distinction. Not many people know that Sadasivan was with Singapore Economic Development Board before joining MIDA.
The person heading the Investment Promotion Division was Jegatheesan, not Sadasivan. CLF can confirm that. Your memory is fading, Bean.
I only hope that the powers that be at Federal level do not penalise Sadasivan for accepting this assignment. I look forward to reading the Sadavisan Task Force report when it is made public.–Din Merican
“The person heading the Investment Promotion Division was Jegatheesan, not Sadasivan. CLF can confirm that. Your memory is fading, Bean.” — Dato
Oh Ok. My bad. When I walking the corridors of MIDA within a stone’s throw of where I had my home, doing my bit to promote investment to Malaysia, Jamil Jan was Chairman. There you go. It is coming back slowly.
Whatever happened to my good friend Karu (short for Karunakaran) later to become Director General of MIDA in the early 2000s. My God, has it been that long for anyone to be referring to this period as the early 2000s? Better get ready our kerbau for that lonely ride into the sunset.
Do you think they will be 72 dark eyed virgins at the end of the road?? I would be happy with just one.
Dato Karu is now a board member of may bank investment bhd ; aside from generally being a nice guy. Not bad for an estate bloke.
Good for YAB Tan Sri Khalid to try this new tack of having an “independent” third party’s opinions to lean on to parry any possible future balmes and accusations. What if the Task Force findings are favourable to the continuation of the condo project? Tan Sri Khalid will then damn & ignore the objections of the Hindus & Indians towards the project and most probably proceed with it. Damn too the Hindraf that now is trying to seek favours from the PR/PKR through Anwar. Which political party is now actually marginalizing the interests of the Indians and the minorities?
Its such a contrast to MIC-Najib handling of this thing..PR is SO MUCH MORE SYSTEMATIC in dealing with problems..MIC-Najib are STILL A BUNCH OF COWBOYS with a addiction PUBLIC DRAMA rather than fixing problems…
The real question is why Kohilan and 3 MIC Rep had no recollection of the project until they put on AN EMBARASSING PUBLIC POLITICAL MASTURBATION for all to see? This thing feels like there is an UMNO-link to it.
Najib is SIMPLY EMBARASSING as a leader. Not only is he doing a follow-up political masturbation act when his own main players have distanced themselves, his tranparently masturbation shows he is clueless how much trouble he is because losing the Indian votes after he has invested so much in it directly. He is proving himself a ROYAL IDIOT…Shamefully pathetic…
“Dato Karu is now a board member of may bank investment bhd ; aside from generally being a nice guy. Not bad for an estate bloke.” — Horse
His father climbed coconut trees and sold coconuts to support a wife and three kids. For him to go through school and university, join MIDA and then rise to Director General of MIDA got the usual accolades for service to King and country, and all that without the handouts that Malays get from the UMNO led government deserve some respect.
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I first met Dato Karu in Cologne, Germany in 1986 when I joined the Trade Delegation to the UK and Germany led by the then MITI Secretary-General (Tun) Ahmad Sarji. Karu was MIDA Station Manager there. He is a very good man. I agree with you and Horse. He is competent and did not need any handouts to get to the top of MIDA.–Din Merican
It is still too early to worry about environmental impact. If the project has ‘political impact’ say it and address it. If we have a head-ache and tell the doctor that we have a stomach-ache then the prescription will be wrong and we will cancel the project for the wrong reason. That is the terms of reference under which this Committee should operate. I think that the project will enhance the area around Batu Caves and might even encourage the Batu Cave Administrators to improve the appearence of this Holy Place.
Read somewhere Sadasivam has snubbed the Selangor state government’s appointment…. I somehow expected this so I am not disappointed Dato Din….
That’s right, Dato. When I was in London, he was in Cologne, Germany. In his early years he was based in S’pore. He was in Germany for a lot of years before he returned to MIDA, Head Office in the ’90s. As for Ahmad Sarji, he lectured me in Public Administration as an undergrad in my final year at FEA. When you left MU there was no FEA. It was just another department in the Arts Faculty.
Will pass on the warm wishes to Mike Paran ( younger brother of Dato Karu ) ; the next time I meet him for beers @ backyard. Mike , in his customary ebullience , is likely to buy the house a round of drinks. All these Ibrahim School boys are pretty serious with their liquids.