Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email i was first alerted via SMS by Mahendran on Monday evening that MIC is not going to have Deepavali open house this year. Later caught the news on TV3 that said the statement was retracted.
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Samy retracts ‘no big Deepavali do’ advice
Llew-Ann Phang
PETALING JAYA (Nov 5, 2007): Hours after MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu issued a statement on Monday afternoon, advising all MIC wakil rakyat (elected representatives) not to hold big Deepavali celebrations as a sign of the party’s respect for Hindus mourning the demolition of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Padang Jawa, Shah Alam, the request was retracted.
It is learnt that Samy Vellu retracted the advice at 6.30pm, in view of the overwhelming requests from MIC members and Hindus to continue with the tradition on Deepavali, which falls on Thursday.The first statement said Samy Vellu’s advice was aimed at all MIC MPs and state assemblymen, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries.
“He said the MIC was saddened by the temple’s domolition and the act had hurt all Hindus in the country.
“However, he said MIC wakil rakyat were encouraged to celebrate Deepavali on a moderate scale with their family and relatives at home.”
Last Tuesday, 14 residents were arrested in the protest that ensued when the the 100-year-old temple in Kampung Karuppiah, a surau and some 200 houses in Kampung Rimba Jaya were demolished with the participation of the Shah Alam City Hall, some 300 police personnel, including the Federal Reserve Unit.
Samy Vellu turned up at the scene but he could not do anything to stop the demolition of the temple, and later, four lawyers who tried to help the residents who were held in the Section 11 police station were also detained. The lawyers were arrested for creating a scuffle after they were refused entry. Later that day, six were released on bail – two residents and the lawyers. The remaining 12 who were said to be injured during the fracas, were also released on bail last Friday.
