Federal govt considers offering another site for temple

Both the Federal and Selangor governments are separately scrambling to contain the fallout from last Friday’s cow-head protest held by a group who oppose a plan to relocate a 150-year-old Hindu Temple to Section 23 here.

While the state government is hosting a dialogue session with all residents this Saturday, the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government is also considering holding an event to bring both Muslims and Hindus together to defuse racial tension.

The plan, which entailed roping in the assistance of Hindu Sangam, was proposed to the Cabinet by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar, who is also the Umno state deputy liaison chief.

According to sources, the Cabinet is also considering offering an alternative site to relocate the Hindu temple despite the fact that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the state government.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Noh was forced to defend himself at the Cabinet meeting yesterday. He told the meeting that he did not instigate the Malay-Muslims of Section 23 to protest against the temple relocation.

He is understood to have also told the Cabinet that he would organise a sit-down with Hindus and Muslims in the neighbourhood.

However Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shahmugam today told The Malaysian Insider they have had no official invitation yet to meet the federal government about the issue.

Hindu Sangam also believes the proposed site in Section 23 is the best area to relocate the temple.

Mohan said the temple was not meant to cater only to the Hindus from Section 23 but also from Sections 19, 20, 21 and 22.

Together there are at least 3,000 Hindus in these areas, Mohan said, adding the issue of relocating the temple from its current site in Section 19, had been pending for the last two decades.

The current temple was once part of Sungai Garing Estate, but over the years the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS) had developed the areas surrounding the site into a housing estate.

The temple now lies in the middle of a Muslim-majority area and there had been no concrete effort to relocate until recently.

“This is not a new problem and I don’t understand why the small group of residents needed to protest in such a manner,” Mohan said.

Mohan said that carrying the head of a cow which is scared to Hindus was insulting and called on the government to take action against the culprits.

He also denied claims made yesterday by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein that residents of Section 23 had met Hindu Sangam to resolve the relocation issue.

“I have checked and there was no such meeting.”

However Mohan said he would welcome a meeting with the minister.

Meanwhile Hindu residents of Section 23 today also denied press reports that they also did not want the temple to be relocated to the area.

K. Raju said one third of all residents in Section 23 were Non-Malays and they have carried out a signature campaign to support the state government’s move to relocate the temple.

He also disputed claims in the press that the cow’s head used during the protest was brought to the scene by outsiders.

“The people who carried the head are Umno members, from Section 23, and they seem to be above the law.”

He added the protest was politically motivated.



comments


umno lies after lies.


Yes, the protest was obviously planned and co-ordinated with the knowledge and blessings of some top UMNO guns. Just look at the chronology of events:
1. There was no Shah Alam yet, but the temple existed peacefully for almost 150 years.
2. After the development came about, no alternative site was allocated to the temple by UMNO-BN.
3. It was left to become a small 'time-bomb' and eventually UMNO-BN would have simply 'flattened' it.
4. The police apparently gave 'protection' to the illegal and seditious protesters.
5. The PM 'panicked' for his 1Malaysia and STRANGELY the IGP waited till the PM gave orders.
6. The Home Minister hurriedly listened to and sided with the protesters VERSION.
7. Now, Mukhriz unashamedly throws his support to defend the Home Minister.
Well, a 'great' PRECEDENT has been set for the doom of the Rule of Law in this country.


I pity the Indians of Malaysia with no warlords to care for them. Kg Pala. Hindraf. Now this. Where are all the Indian warlords? They (these Indians) are not asking for the moon. They are just asking for their basic rights. OK, the Kg Pala case was fine until some got greedy?

Still where are you Semi Value? You just fight your own private battles while your fellow Indians have to fight everybody else?

This is your opportunity to do something before you go out in a blaze of glory but you'd rather just fight to hold on to the MIC presidency... You will never be a Tun la... Tan Sri now also a long shot.

Do something while you still can. Make yourself relevant. Forget about MIC presidency... let someone sit on that throne.



The Federal government need not find another place for a temple. They should educate their members on racial and religious tolerance. One third of the residents are non Malays and the government condones the protest of a fanatic group. How many areas are the non Malays a minority? Is this useless government going to say that they should not pray near where they stay?Why can't they have a place of worship? What is the federal governments agenda?


The first thing the federal government should do is to bring charges against those who advocated violence and bloodshed. No one should be allowed to roam the streets insulting other religions and threatening to spill the blood of others. Only mobsters do that. It is unfortunate that the mobsters have received the blessing of Hishammuddin. Hishammuddin operates as if he does not think at all and that is precisely the problem with him. He would, like the mobsters, rather wave the keris than uphold the law. As a Minister in the federal government he should therefore be asked or leave or sacked. No one is above the law and no one should condone the behaviour of the mobsters.

The second thing to do is to leave the Selangor state government to resolve the issue without denying the Hindus their right to a place of worship worthy of the god they worship. The Federal Constitution guarantees all citizens the right to worship. It is therefore the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that Hindu Malaysians are not denied the right to construct their temple, but first, please sack the Minister of Home Affairs