00:00What was once a dream home for 51-year-old Uma Devi Panchacharam has over the past four years
00:08turned into a source of constant distress. Uma, who lives with her family in a semi-detached
00:14house in Tamanyal, Kuala Lumpur, says her life changed in 2021 when new neighbors moved in next
00:21door and began operating what she describes as an illegal temple. She says relentless noise,
00:27the open burning of joss sticks and prayer papers, and late-night rituals have filled her home with
00:33smoke and disrupted her family's peace. I have to constantly wear the mask because I'm always on
00:39and off. I will get cough, flu, because I've got allergic rhinitis, and their open burning is
00:46really terrible. It goes on mornings, afternoons, nights, even up to 12. They actually put food
00:54outside. Even is infested with rats. I had rats issues in my house. I had to call the pest control
01:00to clear all the rat issue I had. Thirdly, my clothes, when I dry it out, is full of smoke smell.
01:07Despite multiple complaints to Kuala Lumpur City Hall, DBKL, and the Kuala Lumpur Health Department,
01:13Uma says no action has been taken.
01:16Basically, DBKL has come up with a letter this year to say it's illegal. From 29 January till now,
01:22DBKL has not done anything. Her neighbour, 49-year-old Neil Naveen Kamalanthan,
01:28says the temple has also caused serious pest problems.
01:31I feel it's not an ideal area to have a temple in a home. What the authorities should do is
01:40probably ask him to relocate. You relocate, go to somewhere where there's more land and,
01:45you know, it doesn't affect the neighbours. Anything that affects the neighbours has to be looked into.
01:49Sepute People's Representative Council, MPPWP, Zone 6 Chairman, Alvin T. Aryaratnam,
01:57says he has investigated the matter. He warns the site poses both health and fire hazards,
02:03despite the owner's denial.
02:05A letter from DBKL's Planning Department,
02:34dated January 28, 2025, confirms the property has no approval for renovations or temple structures.
02:43The unit is legally a residential property, and complaints about its use as a mini-tokong
02:49and dormitory have been forwarded to DBKL's Enforcement Department.
02:54When contacted for comments, a DBKL senior enforcement officer says the department is currently
02:59investigating the complaint.
03:01He said that the smoke is empty, so he can't breathe.
03:04But the glass is not burnt?
03:06No, it's not.
03:07It's not.
03:07No, no, no!
03:24No, no, no.
