ACTION will be taken against “hooligans and thugs” who want to stop the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) from taking over a problematic temple, said P. Ramasamy.

The board chairman said PHEB will not be intimidated by those out to demean the religion.

“Let me assure Hindus in Penang that there will not be a repeat of the Seafield incident at the Sri Manglanayagi temple in Bukit Tengah. PHEB will never allow this to happen.

“Any future attempt at rioting or creating tensions will be dealt with using the strong application of the law,” he said in a statement today.

He was referring to the ruckus on December 24 last year, when he and PHEB officials went to the Sri Manglanayagi temple to take over its management.

The Registrar of Societies deregistered the temple last August citing mismanagement, and asked PHEB to take over.

“I was the person who led the PHEB team with the objective of announcing PHEB’s takeover of the temple management,” said Ramasamy.

“This move was approved by the Penang government in October 2019, and assented by Governor Abdul Rahman Abbas in accordance with Section 4 of the Hindu Endowments Ordinance 1906.

“Since the Sri Manglanayagi temple had come under the management of PHEB, it was decided that some of its officials, including me, would visit the temple to announce the takeover and the appointment of a new management committee.”

The deputy chief minister II added that there was an attempt to prevent them from entering the temple, and this was overcome by prising open the gate.

“Before we could commence our announcement, pandemonium broke out. A number of individuals, I would say hooligans, linked to the former temple association sought to forcefully prevent us from speaking.

“It was in the ensuing melee that there was an attempt to grab the shirt of PHEB secretary R. Surendran, to forcibly remove him from the premises.

“This act constitutes a serious case of assault against a government officer involved in the implementation of the governor’s order.”

He said police have detained six people, who will soon be charged with rioting.

PHEB officials will again visit the temple to preside over the handover of duties to the house of worship’s new committee, he said. – January 1, 2020.