Monks plead with Anwar to save historic Perak caves monastery threatened by quarrying

A group of monks from a caves monastery nestled in the biodiversity-rich mountain caves of Chemor, Perak, has appealed to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to intervene to save the century-old Buddhist site from eviction and possible demolition.

For years, devotees from the Sakyamuni Caves Monastery, located in Gunung Kanthan, an area that falls within Anwar's Tambun parliamentary constituency, have been locked in a court battle resisting eviction following a lease granted by the state government to a cement company to carry out quarrying activities.

Speaking at a press conference organised by rights group Lawyers for Liberty, lawyer N Surendran urged Anwar to declare the monastery complex and surrounding hillside a national heritage site, saying such a move would protect both its cultural significance and unique biodiversity.

“We call upon the prime minister to do his duty to his constituents in the Tambun area, and also his duty as the head of the federal government,” said Surendran.

“He can, with the stroke of a pen, resolve this matter, because he is not just the MP for Tambun, he is also the prime minister.”

Surendran said the monastery has stood in the caves for more than 100 years, adding that Gunung Kanthan is home to millions of years of flora and fauna evolution, including rare species of spiders and snails.

He reminded that the ecological importance of the area had previously led authorities to declare Gunung Kanthan a geopark site.

Despite this, the monastery now faces eviction and the prospect of demolition amid quarrying works, with repeated appeals to declare the area a national heritage site falling on deaf ears.

“It is a sad day because monks should not have to hold press conferences because their monastery is facing this kind of difficulty or danger of demolition and removal,” said Surendran.

He explained that the monks' plea is separate from the ongoing court case, adding that the dispute was for the courts to decide.

However, he said an intervention from Putrajaya would resolve the immediate threat to the monastery.

'Past BN government sympathised with us'

Meanwhile, Bhante Kusala, the abbot of the Sakyamuni Caves Monastery, spoke on the origins of the cave refuge, saying it has seen four generations of monks over the century.

He said as people who have renounced worldly matters, the monks have vowed to defend the site which they have considered sacred and conducive for decades, adding that it should not be viewed as a premise that can be moved.

Kusala said the previous Barisan Nasional state government sympathised with their plight and had assured them it would protect the caves monastery.

He said during the first state exco meeting following the 2013 general election, the Perak government announced a ban on quarrying works.

He said that during this period, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) also conducted comprehensive research confirming Gunung Kanthan's unique biodiversity.

“When we presented the research, the BN state government said that unless there is anyone who could challenge FRIM's findings, there can be no demolition works.”

He said the authorities also promised not to renew the cement company's lease for quarrying works upon its expiry in 2020, but it was nonetheless renewed in January of that year by the then Pakatan Harapan government.

“After the Pakatan Harapan government took over, we sensed a change in the treatment towards us. They started talking about illegal places of worship.

Meanwhile, lawyer Latheefa Koya cautioned those who brand the monastery as “illegal”, saying the site predates any system of government and borders.

“To start using the language of legalities is not going to help,” she said.

She said the current government should prove its claim of being tolerant by declaring the site a national heritage.

“All it takes is for the prime minister to listen and sign. That's it. That's all he has to do. It's not complicated.

“It's whether you want to preserve it or whether you want to think about profiteering,” Latheefa added.