KUALA LUMPUR – Where is the alternative karate centre promised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)?
Two-time Asian Games gold medallist R. Puvaneswaran has questioned the necessity of DBKL’s decision to demolish a karate centre in Taman Sri Sinar, which was built by the Rukun Tetangga and has operated for over three decades.
The 49-year-old former national exponent’s response came after he was seen in a viral video alongside a large crowd attempting to prevent the demolition.
In the video, many in the crowd called on Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to intervene, while several young karate exponents preparing for this year’s Sukma questioned where they would now train for the multisport event.
Various gym equipment and treadmills could also be seen inside the building at the end of the video.
Speaking to Scoop, Puvaneswaran said that DBKL has yet to inform the centre’s owner of an alternative venue where their exponents can train.
He also noted that the centre has been a breeding ground for some of the country’s top karate exponents who have competed and won medals for Malaysia, including himself.
“I have no idea why DBKL felt the need to demolish the centre when it has been operating for many years. The owner, Master Thenavan, a former SEA Games gold medallist, has been running it for over 30 years, training numerous students without charging a single sen.
“With the limited number of training facilities in our country, the centre in Taman Sri Sinar has produced some of our best talents through its centralised training. In fact, when I was competing for Malaysia, I trained at this centre by sparring with the best exponents we had.
“The community in Segambut, interested in karate, has greatly benefited from this centre. Additionally, it has been the main training ground for our Federal Territories and Kelantan Sukma karate teams over the past few months. Now that the centre is being demolished, where are they going to train?
“What DBKL did yesterday was unfair. They only gave us notice to evacuate after partially demolishing the building. All this time, they’ve been telling us that they would find us an alternative venue, but that promise has yet to be fulfilled.
“Even our athletes were arrested for protesting, and they are all really demotivated by what has happened,” said Puvaneswaran, who is a former national kumite team coach.
Puvaneswaran also criticised Hannah for labelling the centre as an unauthorised occupation of public land, despite having visited the centre and conducted programmes there in the past.
Recently, Hannah urged the public not to turn the attempted demolition of illegal structures next to a community hall in Kuala Lumpur into an issue of race or sports.
In a Facebook post, she said DBKL and the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office had attempted to demolish illegal structures adjacent to the Taman Sri Sinar community hall in Segambut, which she said had been occupied by an unauthorised operator without approval.
She added DBKL had been trying to reclaim management of the hall for nearly a year as part of a broader initiative across Kuala Lumpur to ensure community halls were accessible to all residents and not monopolised by any single party.
The Segambut MP also mentioned that the FT land office had given the operator a 30-day grace period to remove their belongings from the venue.
“It’s absurd to read the minister’s statement on this issue, especially after she has visited the area regularly. The minister has also conducted several programmes here, and her statement that it’s an unauthorised occupation of public land has really angered everyone in the community.
“For the past 30 years, we have had many sports ministers visit the centre, and we never had any issues. We all wonder why this has become an issue now.
“I hope the minister can look at this from a sports perspective and understand how much this will impact our national karate landscape in the years to come,” Puvaneswaran added.
In a statement, the FT land office said it postponed the demolition after unidentified parties created a human shield using children and women to obstruct their machines, creating a dangerous environment for the operation to continue.
The land office stated that the structure was built without valid permission and that the trespassers – a gymnasium operator and martial arts practitioner – were issued notices to vacate the site on July 4.
It added that the trespassers requested time to remove their gym equipment and signed an undertaking to vacate the site and cease all activities there for 30 days.
It warned that trespassing on government land designated as open space is an offence under Section 425(1) of the National Land Code, which involves occupying government land without valid permission.
Offenders may face a maximum fine of RM500,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. – August 8, 2024