Posts Tagged ‘temples’

Suhakam slams authorities over temple row

October 31st, 2007
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bila kecil baling batu kat anjing
bila besar baling batu kat orang.

inilah budaya sifat sopan santun dan lemah lembut. ataupun pekerja – pekerja itu pun merupakan imigren.

let me translate for benefit of international readers:

when small throw stones at dogs,
when big throw stones at people.

this is the culture that prides itself with being soft-spoken, humble, and pleasant. or are the workers immigrants?

what qualifications these enforcement officers have? SPM dropouts?

source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/74205

Temple row: Suhakam slams authorities
Andrew Ong
Oct 31, 07 5:02pm
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has condemned the manner employed by the authorities to demolish a Hindu temple in Shah Alam yesterday.

) said the incident showed that the authorities did not have respect for religious and cultural sensitivities.

“The authorities may have state or legal right to carry out the demolition, but the manner in which it was conducted requires far greater consideration,” he told a press conference at the Suhakam headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

“Suhakam has been repeating this so many times. But the authorities seem to be deaf. They cannot display simple human decency in responding to a crisis.

“Why make it a crisis when it can be settled amicably?” he said, adding that the demolition was untimely since the Hindu festival of Deepavali was only a week away.

Yesterday, scores of Hindu devotees were injured when they resisted attempts by the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) enforcement officials to demolish a temple in Rimba Jaya.

Some eye witnesses described the situation as a “near riot” as the two sides clashed. MBSA were backed by the riot police and other enforcement authorities.

The authorities claimed that the demolition was carried out based on a court order. Devotees, on the other hand, claimed that they were never notified of the demolition.

Grace period

Based on information received from eye witnesses and press reports, Denison said Suhakam’s preliminary findings is that the devotees had asked for a two-day grace period in order to carry out necessary preparations to relocate.

Denison said the way the temple and the sacred items within the structure were destroyed by the authorities would be taken as great offence by the Hindu community.

He said that rightfully, the authorities should have respected the rights of the Hindu devotees to carry out the necessary rituals to safely remove the items.

“These processes take time. What is (the enforcement authorities’) hurry? Can’t they wait two days, three days or one more week?

“If they can cool down emotions, that achieves far more than bulldozing the issue,” he added.

Another Suhakam commissioner N Siva Subramaniam condemned the use of violence by the authorities to subdue the devotees.

“Based on press reporters, the enforcement authorities pelted the devotees with stones. Their actions must be condemned. As enforcers, they should not subject the people to cruelty,” he said.

Public inquiry

Siva added that the authorities had displayed blatant abuse of power during the incident.

Numerous press reports today highlighted pictures of head and body injuries sustained by several devotees.

Both commissioners would try to convince Suhakam to hold a public inquiry on the matter. A decision on whether to hold a public inquiry would be made on Nov 12.

Siva added that the problem seemingly stems from the Selangor government’s policy as such occurrences are rare outside the state.

Denison said Suhakam had previously issued guidelines for the authorities on the demolition of places of worship and expressed regret that they had been ignored.

He stressed that the authorities needed to consult political parties and other stakeholders before taking action on places of worship because of the sensitivities involved.

shah alam temple demolishment details

October 31st, 2007
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Thanks to Thanish for the following write-up which relates to the temple demolishment at shah alam.

Thanish Rama thanish@….
Delivered-To: mpoobalan@******
Received: by 10.142.79.1 with SMTP id c1cs66102wfb;
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:48:23 -0700 (PDT)
To: ***********
From: Thanish Rama Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 02:22:07 +0000
Subject: [www.umic.org.my] Temple Demolished in Padang Jawa Klang
Reply-To: ****************

Hello all,Let me tell you all the exact issue. This temple was headed by demised former Exco of Selangor state. It is being said a court order released on 2005. The order was then was brought to authorities by the Exco and decided not to touch the temple until a land is given to temple. The developer has allocated a portion for the temple but the land is not ready yet. How and where to move without a land is shown and given? The housing area behind the temple is being cleared out and the houses are being relocated. We are aware that the houses being demolished but NOT the temple. To be safe, selangor state and exco authorities was met and with the developers consent it was decided and ensured the temple will not be touched. All of a sudden on early morning on 30th October 2007 the so called authorities (MBSA) came into the temple with hammers and axes with their shoes ON without a respect to the prayers going on at the temple. (went into the inside deities’ place (karuvarai)). They was forcefully stopped and notice was asked to be shown, court order to be shown . But they can’t produce any. Only being told that it was decided to demolish the temple late night on 29th Oct. They very reluctant to hear any of the temple committees words. Finally after a long long talk, they decided to give the time until 2pm to remove the deities. They immediately went to demolish the kindergarten which belongs to the temple ( Class was going on at that time, the childs were rushed out from kindergarten ). The kindergarten was demolished with all valuable belongings of the temple and kindergarten. At 2pm sharp the so called BATTALION of MBSA, RELA, FRU, POLICE ( the situation was like a war zone ). Our Indian crowds gathered in front of the battalion. Hindraf and their lawyers, independent lawyers, some MIC reps tried to talk to them. Nothing could stop them. MBSA informed NO ONE could stop this as this is direct order from selangor MB. At 4 pm, they moved into the temple. This where when the free for all started. Exchange of stone throwing between the public and the force (peaceful priests and public was inside the temple) ended up in tensed situation. The scene was like racial tension. At the end, the force overpowered with the tear gasses, water jets, batons and with guns. Datuk Seri came to the scene too late at abu 5 pm after part of the temple already demolished. He informed nothing was be able to be done. The situation became even tensed then. Datuk Seri was rushed off then. Now, this has become a National issue and its not known what is going to happen? This is our fate of Indians even though a lot of NGO’s and the public protesting against Indian community discrimination. The date 30th Oct 2007 has changed entirely the life’s of some of the Hindus in the area. Some innocent members of the public and a temple committee was arrested. If this is happening tO Padang Jawa Indians, its not very far away to other places as well. There’s no say for our leaders. No respect for our believes, our faith, our rights !!!!

– t h a n i s h –

shah alam temple demolished and media blackout

October 31st, 2007
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The temple demolishment in Padang Jawa area (Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Taman Karuppiah, Shah Alam) was first highlighted in the UMIC forum by one of the members. However, confirmation came in after 6pm, while SMSes started to arrive after 8pm.

I checked with an acquaintance in the print media yesterday night, who did not anything about it. Nothing was mentioned in the news at Vaanavil Bernama, TV2, TV3 buletin Utama, and Nightline. Nothing too in Star Online, NST, The Sun etc. Only report was in Malaysiakini. This was preceded by statements issued by Hindraf and MHS.

From what we have read, Hindraf paints a terrible picture of massacre level – equating MBSA with Myanmar's junta. Still, we have to take it with a pinch of salt.

Some reports mentioned that even MBSA staff were injured. Well, I guess the people didn't give any quarters.

Malaysiakini mentioned that the area was to be cleared – houses, temple and a surau as well. It also quoted DAP's representative saying that Samy Vellu mentioned Khir Toyo being stubborn (un-cooperative) and did not want to give any time for discussions. I suppose what made the people angry is the insensitivity shown by the government servants in dealing with the public.

MHS as usual issued a statement, which will be disposed into recycle bins as fast as they arrived in emails and print.  People may get fed up with this soon.

Since this was done in a hurried manner, I suspect money has a bigger role rather than an agenda  to get rid of Indians or to create racial tension. In the end, its all about the money trail or as it is often put "benefits to the rakyat" (read: certain rakyat only, especially those living in houses bigger than some schools). Of course, I have no proof. But if the law is on your side, would you still go bulldozing ahead and do things illegally?

The action by Khir Toyo does not bode well. After all the committees, discussions, task forces etc being created at federal and state level to amicably solve these kind of religious issues, he goes ahead and does as he likes. This flies in the face of MIC and MHS who called for restraint and asked the Indians not to retaliate in earlier cases throughout the country.

Well, I guess no one will be inviting Khir Toyo for Deepavali open house this year! Unless shameless Kamala Ganapathy, Komala, Samy Vellu, Palanivel etc. does an about turn and say that Khir Toyo is Pembela Rakyat India!

New block for SJK West Country, but temple status unsure

October 27th, 2007
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“However, the 0.4ha site for the Hindu temple has been changed to vacant land.”

RM330,000 new block for Tamil school

source

By ESTHER CHANDRAN

SJK (T) West Country Timur, a partially government aided school, will soon be able to accommodate its students into proper classrooms as a new block is being built on the school grounds. The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman O. Kumaravelu said the new block cost RM330,000 to build. “A total of RM200,000 was do-nated by Datuk GN Chidapparam and RM40,000 was from Serdang MP Datuk Yap Pian Hon. “The remainder of the money was raised by the PTA through fund raising activities and from well wishers,” he said. The school, which has 365 pupils, currently has eight classrooms, principal C Jayaletchumy said. 

SJK West Country
Space constraints: The students of SJK (T) West Country Timur using the canteen.

Three of these classrooms are divided to accommodate two classes. Sometimes, the classes take place at the library or school canteen due to lack of classrooms. Last year, the school's enrolment was 307. Jayaletchumy said the new block would help accommodate the growing number of students. The project to build the new block began in March and is expected to be ready by mid Oct, Kumaravelu said. “There are six classrooms in the new block,” he said. The school at Section 5, West Country, Bangi is situated on the former West Country Estate grounds. 

When the state government acquired the estate to develop the area into the newer Bangi, the Indian community were promised 1.6ha for the Tamil school, 1.2ha for a Hindu cemetery and 0.4ha for a Hindu temple. It has been 18-years since the acquisition but the land has not been gazetted. Yap said the Hulu Langat Land Office sent a letter to the Ministry of Education in September asking for the school land to be gazetted. He added that Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo had agreed for the cemetery land to be gazetted as well. 

“However, the 0.4ha site for the Hindu temple has been changed to vacant land. “The Sri Maha Mariamman West Country Devotees Associa-tion will be applying to the land office for the 100-year old Sri Maha Mariamman West Country Temple to remain at its old site.'' 

He advised the temple committee, headed by Kumaravelu, to apply for the land to be gazetted. Yap also advised them to apply to the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry for the 100 year-old temple to be preserved as a heritage site because of its long history.  Kumaravelu said the temple was recently registered under the Registrar of Societies.

Tamil school in Kapar waiting 40-years for land

October 18th, 2007
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Tamil school's 40-year wait for 'promised' land





by Renu on Thursday, 18 October 2007
Kampung Perepat villagers in Kapar have waited nine years to get six acres (2.45 hectares) of land promised to them some 40 years ago – only to find out that it has been given to three strangers. 

The land was pledged as part of a package deal for 99 settler-families in the 1960s. Then MIC president V Manickavasagam (photo) had arranged for each family to receive three acres to build their own house on the site at 8th mile Jalan Kapar, Selangor.

A six-acre site located in the midst of the housing area was allocated for a temple, Tamil school and kindergarten.

The Sri Maha Mariamman temple was duly built in 1987 and expanded in 1996, to accommodate the growing number of villagers.

When they attempted to obtain the land title in 1998, they were shocked when told that the site had been classified as 'vacant land' and that the villagers would only get two acres.

said the Klang Land Office told him that the remaining four acres would have to be returned to the Selangor government.

"They (land office officials) didn't even know that there was vacant land there until we applied for the title. When they knew, they refused to give us the six acres of land," he said.

"After going through our state assemblyperson (Abdul Rahman Palil, for Sementa), they agreed to give us two acres for the temple and school, and four acres on which the state government would build low-cost houses."

He also said Abdul Rahman had tried to obtain a temporary title for the site, but this has not materialised to date.

Subramaniam said the villagers were not willing to give up their claim to the land. They approached former Ijok state assemblyperson and Selangor exco member K Sivalingam, Kapar MIC Kampung Perepat president A Palanisamy and MIC president S Samy Vellu (photo).

"In 2003, we met Dato Seri (Samy Vellu) twice when he came to a Tamil school in Kapar, and he ordered Sivalingam to get the land back for us. We believed that we would get the land after the intervention by the MIC president himself."

Strangers given land

However, the villagers were in for another shock. They found that the four acres on which the state government had agreed to build houses had now been given to three private individuals in April this year.

Documents made available to Malaysiakini revealed that the land has been sub-divided into four parts – three of which had been assigned to N Sithara Devi, Haron Ahmad and Khoo Seng, without any of their particulars being recorded. The remaining plot was labelled as 'vacant land'.

"We're disappointed. All these years of writing letters and waiting has brought us nowhere," Subramaniam said.

"It would have been more comforting if the plots had been given to villagers. At least, we would know that one of us has received the land. Now it has gone to strangers.

"What if the remaining part is given to someone else and we are asked to relocate our temple? That's our main worry now."

Asked about his next course of action, Subramaniam said the villagers will take up the matter with Samy Vellu again.

"We plan more drastic action. We want to fence up the whole plot and erect a banner announcing the construction of a Tamil school. We hope that will bring the three individuals face to face with us," he added.
Yoges Palaniappan
Oct 17, 07 Malaysiakini

from: http://www.malaysianindians.net/v1/latest/tamil-schools-40-year-wait-for-promised-land-2.html