Posts Tagged ‘temples’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Pandamaran Kaliamman Temple relocation protest

May 31st, 2011
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Few things attracted me to this article. Firstly, the proposed land is given in an area far from the worshipping community (and in fact given in a place which is likely to be unfavourable towards the other religion). This is like asking for trouble (if the the report is correct). Who in their right mind will ask a temple to relocate to an area where the majority of them are of different religion?

Secondly, there’s no mention on the status of the temple (legal or illegal).  If illegal, then the state government has to intervene.  Problem is to find a place to relocate. Not easy to find a place with sizeable Indian community, and even in those places, have plenty of temples.

Thirdly, on a lighter note, the temple chairman’s name is Kevin Poh Ah Kow, which sound like Chinese name.  Interesting!

 

Makkal Osai reported that devotees of the riverside Kaliamman Temple in Pandamaran, Port Klang staged a peaceful demonstration carrying placards in the temple premises yesterday after a notice to relocate was sent by the landowners Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd.

The notice had said the 40-year-old temple would be demolished if it was not relocated.

The alternative land offered by Guthrie, located about 4km away in Teluk Garing, had been rejected by the temple committee as there were no Indians living in the area.

Temple chairman Kevin Poh Ah Kow said that Teluk Garing was a Malay-majority area and anticipated it being a problem in future if Guthrie’s plan continued, hoping the Selangor Government would help resolve the problem.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/31/nation/8787897&sec=nation

 

 

 

Comments Off on Pandamaran Kaliamman Temple relocation protest »

Posted in Indian, Religion

Tags:

Shrine demolition protest at Kg Baru Air Panas flats

May 12th, 2011
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Not sure if there are other temples within close vicinity of the area. If have, can consider relocate the shrine to the nearby location (for me nearby means <1km).

How about the request for wedding hall and area for funeral services? Since its a low cost flat area, I don’t think got land for this kind of facilities, since this area was developed sometime ago.

 

If not, then someone has to answer why one community was left out in the planning. Is it due to the rules/guidelines about number of residents needed to allocate land for place of worship?

 

The Human Rights Party (HRP) and Indian residents of Kampong Baru Air Panas, Setapak today threatened to hold a mass protest if DBKL continues with plans to demolish two shrines at the low-cost flats.

NONEHRP pro tem central executive committee member S Thiagarajan (centre in picture) said the demolishment order is unjust as the roughly 1,000 Hindu families living in the area were not given a proper place to set up a temple.

In a memorandum handed over to DBKL, the protestors said the government had built a mosque and a Chinese temple in or near the low-cost flats area but appeared to have neglected to provide the same for the spiritual needs of the Indians.

With no place to set up their temple, HRP and the residents argued that they had no choice but to build their shrines between blocks G and H of the low-cost flats.

Despite this, eight DBKL enforcement officers came to demolish their temple last Monday, following up on two demolishment notices dated May 2, 2011 and Dec 2, 2009.

HRP and the residents argued that the order to tear down the shrines violates Article 11 of the federal constitution, which allows citizens the right to profess and practice their religion of choice.

They added that the Hindus in the area have not been given equal treatment as demanded for under Article 8 of the same constitution, where land was set aside for a mosque and Chinese temple but nothing was set aside for the Hindus living in Air Panas.

The protestors demanded that both demolishment orders be revoked, and that at least one acre of land be allocated as a Hindu temple reserve for the existing Hindu shrines so it can be expanded to include a wedding hall and space for funeral services.

The memorandum was received by Asnan Zain, a special officer to DBKL mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail, at their office today. Thiagarajan claimed that Asnan gave his “personal assurance” that no action will be taken until DBKL completes a review of the memorandum.

Thiagarajan, who accompanied some 30 Air Panas residents at the minor protest, later said that he will follow up on the issue two weeks from now, adding that DBKL have one month to come up with a decision.

“The message we want to give is don’t bully Indians. Just because we are dark, just because we are powerless, does not mean you can bully Indians. If DBKL does not consider our demands, we will hold a big demonstration in front of their office,” he said.

source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163934

2 comments »

Posted in BornInMalaysia, Indian, Religion

Tags:

Padang Jawa temple to be rebuilt

April 25th, 2011
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Remember this temple?

The controversial Sri Maha Temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Padang Jawa which was demolished in November 2007 is set to be rebuilt on 15,000 sq feet of land near the Keretapi Tanah Melayu quarters.

seri maha mariamman temple replacement land pronouncement 210910 01The groundbreaking ceremony took place today at the site in Padang Jawa and was attended by Selangor state excos, community leaders and the Indian settlers from the former Kampung Rimba Jaya.

The temple was ordered to be torn down by the authorities as it stood in the vicinity of the Rimba Jaya squatter settlement. Its controversial demolition by the state government in 2007 had led to many Indians turning their backs on BN.

The Hindu groundbreaking ceremony started at 9.00am with bricks coupled with religious paraphernalia arranged in a four foot-deep hole, which will sit right below the main altar of the soon to be built temple.

Land ceded by developer

According to the Selangor State Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Committee Chairman, Dr A Xavier Jayakumar, the land was donated by the developer, Ken Rimba Jaya.


“The land was given to state government, and was ceded by the developer. Then we, the state government will decide, whom, and how much of the land will be given,” said Xavier (left) when queried on how the land was allocated to this temple.

He also said that all the land for places of worship in Selangor is gazetted under the state secretary.

Xavier also announced that RM300,000 had been allocated by the Selangor state government for the building fund and the land will be managed by the temple association.

Xavier the ‘temple saviour’

The temple committee and community leaders in Padang Jawa honoured Xavier with garlands and gave him the title “temple saviour”.

According to the temple committee chairperson, Madhu Manogaran, the Selangor state government and Xavier has worked tirelessly to help save temples in Selangor.

“We are very grateful to the state government, Tan Sri Khalid and Xavier for helping us to rebuild this temple, which means a lot to us,” said Madhu during his speech.

Xavier also said that the state government had managed to help around 70 temples by giving them land.

“We are prepared to do more for the Indian community, last year we spent RM2.5 million for Hindu places of worship,” said Xavier in his speech.


The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, along with the squatter settlement of Rimba Jaya, was demolished in 2007 by the then BN-led state government as part of its Zero Squatter programme.

The demolition of the temple led to a massive protest by Indian groups and helped trigger the historic Hindraf rally on Nov 25 that year.

source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/162336

Comments Off on Padang Jawa temple to be rebuilt »

Posted in Others

Tags:

non-Muslim place of worship for housing project bigger than 40ha

April 5th, 2011
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Wonder why no masterplan. Should have one right? Then there won’t be inconsistent decision or flip-flops.  Or is it different rules for lesser citizens? Without proper legislation it will also be firefighting activity  – solving problems instead of avoiding creating problems in the first place.

 

A DEVELOPER must allocate places of worship for non-Muslims for housing projects involving more than 40ha under the Selangor government policy.

State Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government committee chairman Dr A. Xavier Jeyakumar said the developer had to abide by the rules after the project plan for a housing project was sent to the local council for approval.

He said there was no masterplan for the building of non-Muslim places of worship like Buddhist and Hindu temples, tokong, churches andgurdwara.

“However, from time to time, the state will monitor and resolve the situation on these places of worship,” said Dr Xavier.

He said there was also discussion on the status of the land at the places of worship.

“From 2008 to now, the state has allocated 90 non-Muslim places of worship covering 127.76ha — tokong (114.6ha), temples (7.67ha), churches (4.74ha) and gurdawara (0.75ha),” said Dr Xavier.

The state also approved a temporary building permit for a temple in Section 23, Shah Alam in October last year.

Dr Xavier was responsing to a question by Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei (PR-Sri Muda) at the Selangor state assembly on the status on the non-Muslim places of worship.

Meanwhile, the state government reiterated that the 30% sales quota for each housing development and 7% discount for houses for bumiputras will remain and not be abolished.

State Housing, Building Management and Squatters committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad said the quota and discount would ensure that people staying in Selangor would be able to afford houses in the state.

“Besides the 7% bumiputra discount on homes, a 10% bumiputra discount is also given on commercial and industrial plots.

“With the discounts, the bumiputra buyers can afford to own land and houses.

On a rumour that the state will abolish the 30% sales quota and the 7% discount, Iskandar said it was not true.

Iskandar was responding to a question by Datuk Marsum Paing (BN-Dengkil) on whether the state wanted to abolish the 30% quota and 7% bumiputra discount on houses.

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/4/5/central/8381818&sec=central

Comments Off on non-Muslim place of worship for housing project bigger than 40ha »

Posted in BornInMalaysia, Religion

Tags:

RM561k for temples and NGOs in Kedah and Penang

March 11th, 2011
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Not bad, RM561k for 46 entities. Equals RM12,196 per entity.  At least better than nothing. Still got nearly RM4.5 million, but I think its for whole country, not only Penang/Kedah.

 

THE Federal Government has allocated RM561,000 to 36 Hindu temples and 10 Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Kedah and Penang.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the allocation was part of the RM5mil which was requested by the MIC for temples and NGOs to carry out their religious and community activities for the year.

“The money can be used for the renovation of premises and to buy temple utensils,” he said after presenting the grants to representatives of 11 temples in Penang, 26 temples in Kedah and five NGOs from each state at the Penang Golf Resort in Bertam, Kepala Batas recently.

Also present were Penang MIC chief Datuk P.K. Subbaiyah, Kedah MIC chief S. Ananthan and the MIC division chiefs from the two states.

Subramaniam, advised the representatives to serve the community diligently.

He said the party would receive the balance of the RM5mil allocation later.

 

source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/8/north/8156067&sec=North

1 comment »

Posted in Others

Tags: