Posts Tagged ‘Batu Caves’

selangor govt replies to padang jawa temple demolition

November 27th, 2007
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this is the response from selangor govt which came a week after the demolition. let’s see what is hindraf’s reply. thanks to “killer” for highlighting this.

ISU PEROBOHAN KUIL HINDU DI RIMBA JAYA
Tuesday, November 06 @ 01:47:50 MYT

source

Kerajaan Negeri Selangor ingin menjelaskan kekeliruan yang ditimbulkan oleh pihak yang berkepentingan politik, terutamanya PKR, yang telah menyebarkan maklumat melalui Sistem Pesanan Ringkas (SMS) serta menghasut penganut-penganut Hindu di Malaysia untuk bertindak tidak mengikut peraturan.

Adalah perlu dinyatakan bahawa tanah setinggan Rimba Jaya, Shah Alam bukanlah milik kerajaan negeri seperti yang didakwa. Sebaliknya ia dimiliki sebuah syarikat swasta yang kemudiannya gulung tikar dan diletakkan di bawah Danaharta.

Danaharta kemudiannya membenarkan sebuah syarikat baru mengambil alih tanah tersebut. Berikutan pengambil alihan ini, syarikat tersebut perlu memajukan kawasan yang diambil alih bagi mendapatkan kembali pulangan modal yang telah dikeluarkan ketika mengambil alih tanah ini.

Oleh kerana di atas tanah tersebut terdapat 1121 setinggan yang tinggal, maka Kerajaan Negeri Selangor telah mengenakan syarat supaya syarikat tersebut menyediakan rumah-rumah kos rendah dengan subsidi RM 7, 000.00 sekeluarga/seunit kepada semua keluarga setinggan.

Pada peringkat awal syarikat tidak mahu membina rumah kos rendah dan rumah ibadat kepada umat Islam dan Hindu.

Namun Kerajaan Negeri bertegas bahawa kawasan itu tidak bolah dimajukan selagi syarikat pemaju tidak mengemukakan pelan yang meliputi pembinaan rumah kos rendah serta menyediakan kawasan tapak untuk surau dan kuil secara percuma dan sah.

Setelah syarikat bersetuju dengan syarat yang dikenakan, Kerajaan Negeri telah mengeluarkan notis pertama pada 2005.

Walau bagaimanapun penduduk tidak bersetuju dengan tawaran pemilik tanah yang dibuat melalui Kerajaan Negeri. Dalam hal ini Kerajaan Negeri telah menjadi orang tengah untuk berunding untuk mendapatkan penyelesaian yang menguntungkan kedua belah pihak.

Setelah diadakan rundingan, lapan puluh peratus (80%) penduduk bersetuju dengan tawaran tersebut. Mereka berpindak ke rumah Council yang telah disediakan di Shah Alam juga.

Apabila notis kedua dikeluarkan, terdapat 11 pemilik rumah tidak bersetuju dan memfailkan kes ini di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam. Perbicaraan telah dijalankan di antara peguam pemilik tanah dengan peguam setinggan.

Keputusan mahkamah mengatakan bahawa setinggan perlu kosongkan kawasan tersebut dan pemilik tanah berhak bersihkan kawasan tanah tersebut. Setinggan memfailkan permohonan ke Mahkamah Tinggi dan keputusan memihak kepada pemilik tanah. Pihak setinggan sekali lagi memfailkan kes ke Mahkamah Tinggi Rayuan. Keputusan tetap menyebelahi kepada pemilik tanah kerana itu adalah tanah persendirian.

Pemilik tanah telah memohon bantuan kerajaan negeri untuk membersihkan kawasan tersebut dan kerajaan Negeri bertanggungjawab mengikut Akta Kanun Tanah Negara membantu proses pembersihan tersebut. Kerajaan negeri sekali menyatakan bahawa pembersihan ini hanya dilakukan jika tapak kuil disediakan dan rumah kos rendah mesti dibina.

Setelah pemaju menyediakan tapak kuil tersebut barulah notis ketiga dikeluarkan pada 3 Oktober 2007.

Penyediaan tapak kuil ini adalah persetujuan yang telah pun dinyatakan oleh pemilik kuil dan juga telah dipersetujui lebih awal oleh oleh Mendiang Dato’ K Sivalinggam dalam mesyuarat EXCO Kerajaan Negeri tahun lalu. Kedua-duanya memberi persetujuan dengan syarat tapak kuil baru disediakan sebelum dirobohkan tapak sedia ada.

Hakikatnya kerajaan Negeri telah memberi peluang selama 3 tahun untuk proses pemindahan dijalankan secara teratur dan baik.

Kerajaan Negeri terpaksa mengambil tindakan perobohan mengikut Undang-undang Kanun Tanah Negara untuk membenarkan pembangunan dibuat. PBT tidak mahu dituduh tidak mengikut arahan mahkamah.

Pemaju juga telah sanggup membayar ganti rugi, yang mungkin ada, untuk pemindahan kuil.

Malangnya, pihak pembangkang telah mempengaruhi penganut Hindu dari luar supaya datang untuk berkumpul di kuil sehingga sami kuil itu sendiri tidak boleh masuk ke kuil pada hari ini.

Kerajaan Negeri sebenarnya telah memberi banyak masa dan peluang.

Untuk makluman Penganut hindu di Selangor, Kerajaan Negeri telah menghalalkan beberapa kuil haram seperti yang telah dicadangkan oleh Pertubuhan Hindu Sanggam. Malah premium tanah yang dikenakan juga adalah minimum.

Tuduhan mengatakan Kerajaan Negeri tidak membantu agama lain adalah tidak benar. Kerajaan Negeri telah menyediakan kawasan yang besar di Batu Caves tanpa gangguan Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT).

Malah Kerajaan Negeri telah menyediakan peruntukan sebanyak RM 3 juta untuk rumah ibadat bukan Islam.

Komitmen kerajaan Negeri untuk membantu menyediakan kemudahan kepada rumah Ibadat tidak perlu dipertikaikan. Adalah menjadi menjadi kewajipan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor menyediakan kemudahan beribadat kepada semua kaum berdasarkan kebebasan beragama.

Kepada penganut agama Hindu, Kerajaan Negeri Selangor merasakan bahawa tindakan yang dibuat adalah mengikut undang-undang dan peraturan.

Harapan kami bahawa penganut Hindu boleh membina rumah Ibadah setelah mendapat kelulusan dari pertubuhan Hindu Sanggam. Kerajaan Negeri tiada halangan memberi kelulusan.

Janganlah kita terpengaruh dengan orang yang mempunyai kepentingan politik kerana agama tidak sepatutnya dipergunakan untuk mendapat keuntungan politik murahan.

Semoga tuhan mengetahui apa dilakukan dan memberi kekuatan kepada kita menegakkan kebenaran.

Kerajaan Negeri juga ingin mengucapkan selamat menyambut Hari Deepavali kepada semua penganut agama Hindu.

Sekian, terima kasih

Dikeluarkan oleh,
Sekretariat Akhbar Kerajaan Negeri Selangor
03-55447456

igp musa hassan lies about batu caves

November 26th, 2007
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says musa:"
Musa said no tear gas or water cannons were used at the demonstrators during the incident. "

let's look at photos from jeffooi's site:

http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/11/hindraf_rally_ethnic_minority_1.php

if that's not tear gas and water cannon, i'll shave my head (again)!

Batu Caves temple property damaged, 69 protesters held

source

KUALA LUMPUR: Demonstrators broke into the Batu Caves temple compound and destroyed temple property early yesterday morning, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said. 

He said the crowd that had gathered there swelled from a mere 200 people just after midnight to more than 1,000 by about 2am. 

“The demonstrators forced open the locked gates and started breaking temple property, prompting the temple committee to lodge a police report,” he said. 

Minutes later several trucks of policemen, including those in plainclothes and members of the Light Strike Force unit, arrived at the temple and told the demonstrators to disperse. 

However, they refused and instead fled into the temple premises, when police gave them a last warning.  

When policemen pursued them, the demonstrators pelted and attacked them with stones and inter-locking bricks, resulting in several policemen being injured. 

The demonstrators also threw a Molotov cocktail at a tourist charter bus, setting in on fire. They also shattered the windscreens and windows of several passing cars by throwing stones and bricks at the vehicles. 

Musa said no tear gas or water cannons were used at the demonstrators during the incident. 

“By about 4am, 69 people had been arrested,” he added. 

As at press time, police were keeping a close watch on the area. 

Tear gas fired at defiant protesters 8.20am

November 25th, 2007
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Tear gas fired at defiant protesters
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/75246
Nov 25, 07 8:20am

Hours before the protest organised by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is due to take place, the police have already begun firing tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse crowds in three areas in Kuala Lumpur.

The protesters defied the police's 'arrest on sight' order as they turned up in the thousands to join the demonstration.

The police fired a volley of tear gas at Jalan Ampang at about 7.40am today to disperse a large crowd who had gathered there. The area has been declared a curfew zone by the police.

Earlier, the police also used tear gas to disperse a crowd which gathered at Batu Caves and the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) areas.

According to Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, police fired tear gas at those sleeping in Batu Caves temple at 4am. Unconfirmed reports said about 700 people were arrested there.

Uthayakumar also said that the police attacked a crowd near Maxis Tower in KLCC, firing at least 15 tear-gas canisters. About 20 were said to be arrested with some suffering from injuries.

Despite roadblocks and a tight police cordon to seal off the city, thousands of Indians from all around the country have arrived in Kuala Lumpur since last night.

Some of the protesters were already at Jalan Ampang near Hotel Nikko and Ampang Park – a stone throw away from the British High Commission – early this morning.

Despite repeated firing of chemical-laced water against the 5,000-strong crowd, the protestors appeared defiant and refused to budge.

However, by 8.30am the police have successfully forced the crowd to move out of the area, many of whom congregating near the National Heart Institute along Jalan Tun Razak.

Meanwhile, another group which has gathered near Tabung Haji building was pushed back by the volleys of police tear gas to near the United States embassy further down Jalan Tun Razak.

By 9am, the police numbering about 1,000 have cleared most of area in the vicinity of Ampang Park and the British High Commission of protestors.

UPDATE 9.30am, 10,000 in KLCC: The protesters are split into three major groups – about 3,000 south of Jalan Tun Razak with the police pushing the crowd back into Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Another 3,000 are north of Jalan Tun Razak near the National Heart Institute. Many of these protesters are moving to KLCC to join the third group.

Meanwhile, the crowd in KLCC has surged to between 10,000 and 15,000.

The protesters – a mix of young and old from all parts of the country – were being addressed with loudhailers by Hindraf leaders, including Uthayakumar. In the bid to disperse the crowd, the police fired tear gas into the defiant crowd every 10 minutes.

The rally has been declared illegal by the police, who have also obtained an unprecedented court order to prohibit people from taking part in it.

Large groups of people have gathered at various spots around the city centre even at dawn – all hoping to break the police cordon to march towards the British High Commission at 10am.

Jalan Ampang – where the high commission is located – and three other roads have been closed since 3am to stop the crowd from arriving at the protest venue.

Also closed are two LRT (light rail transit) stations near the area – the Ampang Park and KLCC stations.

Why the protest?

The planned protest is to support a lawsuit against Malaysia's former colonial power for bringing Indians to Malaysia as indentured labourers and exploiting them for 150 years.

Furthermore, the suit sought a declaration that the Reid Commission Report 1957 failed to incorporate the rights of the Indian community when independence was granted, resulting in discrimination and marginalisation to this day.

The quantum being sought is about US$2 million for every Indian currently residing in Malaysia.

Following the filing of the suit, Hindraf held nationwide roadshows explaining to grassroots about the case.

Coupled with their work to prevent rampant state-sanctioned demolition of Hindu temples, Hindraf won over a wave of support for their cause.

Today's memorandum was to petition Queen Elizabeth II to appoint a Queen's counsel to argue the case on their behalf.

Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan

September 13th, 2007
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Malaysian Potpourri: Kuala Lumpur and Tan sri Devaki Krishnan Grande dame of Malaysian Indian politics

source

Tan Sri Devaki Krishnan came into elected office at a time when women did not mix freely with men as ‘women were not emancipated then’

TAN SRI DEVAKI KRISHNAN is a living encyclopaedia on Kuala Lumpur.

If anyone should know about significant happenings in the city’s modern history, it would be the evergreen former politician who grew up with the place.

A former Kuala Lumpur municipal councillor and Wanita MIC deputy president, she remembers the ravages of the World War Two on her adopted home and how the city grew out of the rubble into what it is today.

The eldest of six children of a former acting controller of Post and Telecoms Malaya, she remembers the time when Kuala Lumpur was the relatively quiet capital of the federation of Malaya.

"Fifty years ago, driving was easy as traffic jams that now plague the city were non-existent. I was one of the first women to learn to drive, getting my licence in 1952," said 84-year-old Devaki who was born in Port Dickson.

"Petaling Jaya was not there then. It was just a rubber estate. There were no highways and Jalan Syed Putra had not been built. It took seven minutes to drive from Brickfields to Batu Caves," reminisced the first Indian woman to get a Tan Sri title.

At that time, all government quarters for staff at the Public Works Department, Central Electricity Board and Telecoms were in Bangsar and Brickfields, said Devaki who has been a Brickfields denizen for more than 50 years.

Devaki, who studied at the St Mary’s Girls School, Kuala Lumpur, also has fond memories of the Selangor Indian Association building which used to stand at the site of the Istana Negara.

"I used to play badminton and learn Hindi there.. All the top Indian professionals used to meet there every month. The palace was a bungalow owned by a Chinese businessman which was later bought and converted into the King’s residence," she said.

The grande dame of Malaysian Indian politics is fascinated by Kuala Lumpur’s phenomenal growth.

"It has grown tremendously as far as physical development is concerned but not where social development is concerned.."

She is particularly concerned about the lack of unity among the races which she feels is telling in how people of various races tended to group together

"After 50 years, we still lack unity," she said, adding that this was a glaring fact that needed to be addressed.

"In the old days, there was no difference between races. Now there are religious and racial differences.

"We are not moving backward, but we are not moving forward enough in terms of developing as a society," she said.

She lamented that indifference among the people transcended race with some not even knowing their neighbours.

Devaki is an example of how race was not a factor in the 1950s when one was measured by one’s ability and not racial background.

She became involved in politics after being approached by the late Datuk Onn Jaafar to become a member of the Independent of Malaya Party (IMP).

Her rise in politics was not surprising really as her mother had set the tone for her by being a college-trained Tamil school teacher at a time when few women went to work.

Devaki has the distinction of being the first woman to contest in the country’s first election — the Kuala Lumpur Municipal elections. She won and was elected to the Municipal Council, thus becoming the first Indian woman nationwide to be elected into such an office.

In 1955, she stood for a second term for the municipal ward of Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, and won. After her victory, she was paraded in an open-top car, accompanied by over 50 cars along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

Devaki remembers that she came into elected office at a time when women did not mix freely with men as "women were not emancipated then".

She then joined the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and contested for the Sentul constituency in the 1959 state election under the Alliance ticket but lost.

In 1975, Devaki was appointed Wanita MIC secretary and Wanita deputy president in 1984 (a position she held for 10 years). She also served as vice-president of the Selangor MIC and chairman of the Selangor Wanita MIC.

Thirumurai fest at Batu Caves

September 4th, 2007
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THE Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) is holding the 30th anniversary of the two-day Thirumurai festival at Batu Caves on Sept 8 to enhance the growth of the ancient old verses in Malaysia. 

The festival includes a Thirumulai Lifestyle Concert themed Thirumurai…..Challenges of The Ear, presented by 60 artistes on Sept 8 and the Thirumurai National Competition the next day. 

The aim of the festival is to change the mindset of the people about Thirumurai, to infuse Thirumurai into their lifestyle, to bring new ideas into the Thirumurai while retaining its originality and form and to attract youngsters to appreciate, learn and incorporate values of the Thirumurai into their daily lives. 

MHS president Datuk V.T. Lingam said the Thirumurai verses were recited by great saints of Tamil Nadu, India, who are responsible for creating them. 

“Over the years we have celebrated this festival. A total of 160,000 youths and children have taken part and recited the verses. We are happy to continue this tradition of bringing this ancient verses to the new generation,”  

“We have lined up many cultural performances and the highlight of the festival will be the Thirumurai Teachers' Parade, where 27 people will be dressed as the 27 Thirumurai authors of the verses,” he said. 

MHS national chairman (arts & culture), Dr. M. Bala said the festival continues to feed the cultural and art scene. 

“This verses have been around for 1,500 years and they have retained their style, essence, rhythm and tune. We want the next generation to know how they can use these verses in their daily lives and how they can infuse them into their daily activities.” 

“We are expecting about 800 to 2,000 people and we are also providing shelter and food for them. There will also be a cultural exhibition about our organisation.” 

The festival will feature the Thirumurai Nadaswaram, vocal recital, dance performances, instrumental presentations, drama and lifestyle forum.  

The festival will be held at Batu Caves Hall from 7pm to 10pm and admission is free.  

MHS also seeks support and sponsorship for the growth of Thirumurai. For more information on the festival and to contribute, please contact Dr Bala at 019-212 7003 or Aravinthan at 016-612 0587.