The Singapore High Court dismissed a bid to save a 65-year-old
Buddhist temple site from government acquisition, but a Bodhi tree
regarded as sacred will not be chopped down, ST reports.
Devotees of the temple had filed a suit against the acquisition,
alleging a violation of the constitution. The decision published in
The Straits Times gave the trustees two months to move the Jin Long
Si Temple to a temporary site.
The government did not breach the constitution, said Justice Tan
Lee Meng on Monday. The site was acquired by the Singapore
government in 2003 as part of redevelopment plans for more housing.
The zinc-roofed temple was given until January 31, 2008 to
relocate.The move was postponed till further notice because of the
lawsuit.
The government had offered the temple alternative sites. Temple
president Tan Poh Heong said that he would consult with the
temple's lawyers.
Saved, however, was the huge Bodhi tree, believed to be more
than 100 years old, on the temple's premises. The tree has a girth
of 8.5 metres and is 30.5 metres tall.
The Law Ministry that said the tree will be retained on the
land, and the developer will be required to take necessary measures
to ensure its preservation.
Both nature lovers and temple devotees have been asking for the
tree to be left undisturbed. Buddha is believed to have gained
enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree.
