Pakatan risks losing more Malay support over temple issue

Mohd Farhan Darwis Mohd Farhan Darwis Updated 7 years ago · Published on 1 Dec 2018 7:00AM · 9 Comments

A group of men shouting slogans outside the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Tuesday. The government has a difficult balancing act to perform in the issue as it could lose what little Malay support that it has. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, December 1, 2018.

PAKATAN Harapan (PH) is walking a political tightrope in the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple issue and how they handle the situation could determine if they would lose more Malay support, said political analysts.

Although they have shouted themselves hoarse claiming it is not a racial issue, the sentiment on the ground tells a different story, they told The Malaysian Insight.

The political analysts, however, said it was a good move by the PH state government not to buy the controversial piece of land in Subang Jaya and hand it over to the temple, as suggested by several Indian ministers.

They added such a move would have been unpopular among the Malays who are already complaining that the race is being sidelined by the new federal government in the appointment of several non-Malays to key positions in Putrajaya.

Policemen inspecting a burnt car outside the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Monday. The temple issue is being seen as a racial issue although the government has repeatedly said that it is a criminal matter. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Najjua Zulkefli, December 1, 2018.

Ilham Center executive director Mohd Azlan Zainal told The Malaysian Insight that based on what they have seen, support of the Malays for PH is still lagging.

“PH has yet to totally win over the minds of the Malay voters,” he said.

“And although the government’s narrative is that the temple attack and issues surrounding it is not racial in nature, we feel the grassroots will look at it as a racial issue.”

Azlan added that the support among the Malays for PH was low because the pact was not seen as being a strong guardian of the Malay race.

“It is not just the Selangor state government. At federal level too, the Malay support is not satisfactory,” Azlan said.

“For the Malays, what has been apparent in the seven months of the PH administration is that there have not been any moves to regain the Malay support.

“In fact, ministries which used to take care of the Malays in the previous administration, have now been sidelined.”

Ilham Centre in a survey after the 14th general election found that PH only received 17% of the Malay support in Peninsular Malaysia although they managed to defeat Barisan Nasional to take over federal power.

The survey found that PAS had 35% of Malay support while Umno/BN secured 46%.

Federal Reserve Unit personnel standing guard outside the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Monday. The riot was started when about 50 Malay men stormed the temple in an attempt to clear it out. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, December 1, 2018.

Sentiments on the ground was that the PH government continued to lose the Malay support even after taking over Putrajaya, largely due to its more open and liberal policies.

Most recently, Putrajaya had to backtrack from agreeing to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) following strong objections from Malay groups, including from parties within PH, and from PAS and Umno.

The incident early on Monday morning saw a group of about 50 Malay men attacking the temple with the intention to secure the land for the developer, One City Development Sdn Bhd.

This turned into a riot, and the following day, thousands of Indians gathered to defend the temple, and in the process vandalised a building which houses the developer’s office.

Scores were injured, including a fireman who was beaten up by a mob on the second night. Many cars were torched and the temple suffered damages as well. More than 40 people have been arrested but none have been charged yet.

Burnt cars seen outside the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Monday. A fireman was grievously hurt in another round of rioting the next day. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, December 1, 2018.

The root cause of the problem was that devotees had refused to relocate the temple despite agreeing previously in a court consent judgment.

Indian ministers from PH have said that one of the ways to overcome this problem is for the state government to take over the land and hand it to the temple. Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, however has rejected this, saying that it would be costly and would set a bad precedent.

Merdeka Centre director Ibrahim Suffian meanwhile said majority of the people disagreed with the idea of the state acquiring the land from the developer for the temple.

He said such a move would also set a precedent where the state in future would have to adhere to pressure based on race and religious grounds.

The Selangor state government thinks purchasing the land the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is on an handing it over to the temple sets a bad legal precedent. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, December 1, 2018.

“It is not just the Malays who would object to this. PH supporters too would not agree as they see this as the PH government ignoring the rule of law.

“In this context, I think the state government’s decision was not only based on the Malay sentiments but also to recognise the wishes of PH supporters,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insight.

He said such a move would have also ignored a court ruling on the issue which was for the temple to relocate while the developer fulfills certain conditions, which they have.

“Ignoring the court ruling would erode the respect of the judiciary,” he said, adding it would make a mockery of PH’s strong stand on the rule of law policy.

As for now, it is status quo. The temple has managed to get an interim injunction to stop the developer from relocating the house of worship until the matter is heard again in court on January 11. – December 1, 2018.

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Comments

  • The love for the country should supersede all other interest. This is paramount and all suspicion and enmity will subside thereafter. Malaysia maju.

    Posted 7 years ago by Gabriel Chelliah · Reply

  • Some people want their ''handouts''. Best that PH govern well and soon the benefits will come and get passed out to all..that way they will earn the trust...say in 2/3 years time. So we need to be patient.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • No harm to initially lose support but gain it by governing well.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • Silly conclusions by these analysts. Theres another 5 years to go before the next GE. The quality of policies and efficiency of implementation will determine the support for PH. These events like temple issue and ICERD are outliers. They will not drastically change the long term trends. PH still needs to deliver its promises, but should not allow the overall implementation to be derailed by outlier events. So far, so good. Only thing to do is PH ministers shooting off their mouths if you have nothing substantial to say that will further your agenda, dont say anything at all.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lawman will · Reply

  • Our beloved Malay friends have just awakened from the GE14 struggle. I beg they do not fall into the lies of the same warlords again, Let's work together to achieve a better tomorrow, maintain our hard fought racial harmony and peace for the country.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Rjght noww Pakatan Harapan is in power and ruling the country. Get the country back on track and worry not about the Malay support. They are lallang and beyond in comprehension of basic economic to set the country right. Pakatan Harapan has more than 4 years to prove their clout in managing and running an effective governance. The constant and consistent racial instigations by both UmnoPAS to topple the democratic elected PH are expected. It will never will stop.............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pakatan Harapan has to stop being coy and meek in meting out severity of the law onto them to let them understand the "rules of law" which was lost in the 61 years of Umno regime.. Extremes measure of animadversion , stamping with high handed actions have to be seen to counter their extremes display of flaunting their disrespect to the Government of the day and law. they are hell bent to create riots and mayhem to seize power. All the hypocrisy of "political correct" and showing moderation to allow freedom of speeches and tolerance of unlawful act are just providing wrong signal. The pissant UmnoPAS take it for granted that PH in her infant stage is unstable and lack the support of rakyat to rule or even the ability in enforcing a proper administrations. Coupled to the fact that some of the PH MInisters are under performing and below par but sadly and truthfully they are totally incompetent and needed to be replaced immediately. When the daily basic economic needs of rakat are are easily attained , support from the Malays wil come back in droves. It is only the few remnants renegades of UmnoPAS that are harping on Bangsa dan Agama for they know nothing else from their education in Umno University , but only that to create unrest. The woes in the country that is creating unrest is both the economy and education. Both this has failed in the country and nothing shall tick if there is no immediate plan and a sustain long term plan to eradicate this two concerns. The priority to get the rakyat on a decent living by a simple and sound formulation of economic plans and concurrently revise the education system immediately as per Mahatir vision. The current Education Minister is muddled with his religious inclination and do not have the interest or will to do it so. He is totally incaple and more to being incompetent. The reflections of his actions are related to black shoes and socks and later on to black attire like the practises of Wahabism. He has to go or Malaysia will be the poor Saudi Arabia of the SEA. The new generations of Bangsa Malaysian can only be realised thru the proper education and we have to start it with the young ones. Be it 10 or 20 years , so shall it be and by the time all the irrelevant pedestrains thoughts of UmnoPAS will be totally wipe out. Now it is only the will to do it so.????????????????????????????

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • Further to that journalists and writters togather with analysts must have a code of proper ethics as professional to reveal information especially pertaining to survey datas of support.to follow. Writing from heresay and unsubstantiated input will create negativity which do not at all help but just giving credence to the false impression that UmnoPAS has strength in rakat support. Unless a general census is taken thru' out the country only then it is a true validation.

      Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Why no one from PH come out and challenge the finding from Ilham Center that only 17% Malay support PH in Semenanjung.
    Everyone took it as it is without bother to look into the gazetted reports.
    It's mathematically flaw and didn't make any sense at all.

    Posted 7 years ago by OOI HWEI · Reply

  • Let us not make 'crowd funding' a mockery of 'Law and Order'. These days when the problem is 'hiding so many bags of 'corruption' money from the law, I sincerely hope this is not an escape route to win some sympathy for corruption. Let us be more critical about the source of funds for any religious cause.

    Posted 7 years ago by Shaikh karim · Reply