Jan 14 2008
subra says malaysians cannot be priests
A memorandum was submitted to the Home Affairs Ministry in the 1970s outlining the various difficulties faced by Malaysian temples and gurdwaras in employing local priests and musicians. "Following the submission of the memorandum, a new policy was formulated by the Home Affairs Ministry in 1984 stating that Hindu and Sikh priests from India shall be considered to stay in Malaysia for a maximum period of seven years, and musicians for a maximum period of five years, to be renewed on an annual basis," he said.
- even if we assume 1979 as submission year, it took 4 YEARS to establish the new policy!
- renewal on annual basis. So if 7 years from 1984, it is 1991. For the last 16 years, there have been annual renewals for priests.
He added that it was not possible to train Malaysians to become priests because they had to be vegetarians and teetotallers.
- meaning generally local Hindus not fit to be priests? Can we say out of every 10 Hindus, 6 consume alcohol, while 9 are non-vegetarian?
The salary offered was also low, only about RM500 monthly.
- last time maybe yes. Now with so many prayers from birth to death, priests can earn quite well.
Subra: Consult before making policy changes
KUALA LUMPUR: A memorandum was submitted to the Home Affairs Ministry in the 1970s outlining the various difficulties faced by Malaysian temples and gurdwaras in employing local priests and musicians.
Former MIC deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam said local Indians faced difficulty in becoming priests because they were not educated in Sanskrit, the common language used along with Tamil for performing Hindu rites and prayers.
Subramaniam was commenting on a statement by Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad that the government had tightened the rules on the entry of foreign religious teachers and priests from other countries to encourage more locals to become priests.
Subramaniam said priests from India undergo several years of training to become a priest. He added that it was not possible to train Malaysians to become priests because they had to be vegetarians and teetotallers.
The salary offered was also low, only about RM500 monthly.
"Following the submission of the memorandum, a new policy was formulated by the Home Affairs Ministry in 1984 stating that Hindu and Sikh priests from India shall be considered to stay in Malaysia for a maximum period of seven years, and musicians for a maximum period of five years, to be renewed on an annual basis," he said.
Subramaniam also urged the government to consult relevant Indian-based religious bodies in Malaysia before making any policy changes regarding the intake of Hindu and Sikh priests or issues related to their work permits.
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