Kula Segaran to raise Ponggal circular in tomorrow’s cabinet meeting

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 14 Jan 2020 10:03PM · 7 Comments

Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran is seeking answers from the Education Ministry on why it is advising Muslims to avoid the Ponggal harvest festival. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, January 14, 2020.

HUMAN Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran will, at the cabinet meeting tomorrow, raise a circular by the Education Ministry advising Muslims not to participate in the Ponggal harvest festival.

The circular is based on advice from a Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) panel of shariah experts.

It was signed by education deputy director-general Adzman Talib, who said that Ponggal is celebrated by Hindus and, as such, Muslims are not allowed to participate.

The circular dated January 13 was issued to all state education department directors ahead of the festival tomorrow.

“I refer to the circular that is going viral about the Ponggal harvest festival.

“It is incorrect to label the festival as religious, as it has no religious significance,” Kula Segaran said in a statement tonight.

“The aim of Ponggal is to foster unity among Tamils for the preservation of the culture and literature.

“It also aims to uplift the community and their future generations. I will bring this up to cabinet tomorrow in order to clarify matters,” the Ipoh Barat MP added.

The education ministry’s circular did not state any reason why Jakim’s advice on Ponggal was being acted upon.

The circular and Jakim’s advice have been called “insensitive” and “unconstitutional” by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia academic Dr Denison Jayasooria.

Religious group Hindu Sangham also said it was puzzled by the directive, as Ponggal was not a religious, but cultural festival.

The Malaysian Insight is seeking a comment from the Education Ministry and Jakim. – January 14, 2020.

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Comments

  • Jakim 1 bil budget to cause disunity

    Posted 6 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

  • Pongal (, /apol/, also spelled Pokal), is also referred to as Thai Pongal (, also spelled Tai Pongal), is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival of South India, , its from Wikipedia. Our minister cant deny the fact its Hindu festival.

    Hi guys....
    Our ministers no guts...
    Why they are denying its part of hindu tradition...
    They failed to recall tht our 1st PM Tunku Abdul Rahman and 6th PM Najib attended Thaipusam....
    In India Abdul Kalam, the former India President, attended many hindu festival...
    The above two died as muslim and never failed to perform their duty as muslim and one still strongly practicing muslim faith...
    In Indonesia, the President attending hindu festival...
    Plz dont deny Ponggal as hindu festival...
    The minister shall question the authority of JAKIM and Timbalan Ketua Pengarah to issue this kind of Circular and undermining PH government

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian Politics · Reply

  • Whether is religious or not, it is celebrated by an ethnic community of Malaysia. If individual Muslims wish to stay away, they have all the rights for whatever reasons they may have. Why stop other liberal thinking Muslims. Why the need for directive from government. Who is creating disunity among the races? Call experts? experts in what ? An uneducated will most likely think sensibly. Jakim and the so called shariah experts will bring shame to this country....

    Posted 6 years ago by Maniraju Maruthai · Reply

  • G25 is right. JAKIM stands for Jangan Kasi India Meraih. Bloody joke paid by taxpayers dividing the entire nation. The education deputy DG must be sacked immediately.

    Posted 6 years ago by Kinetica Cho · Reply

  • JAKIM expert should be recommending government to pay their allocation from the source confirmed halal money.

    Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian Politics · Reply

  • Adzman Talib, kedudukan amat tinggi tapi otak sempit. U r outdated, better for u to take optional early retirement. Never bothered to check and understand the status of Pongal festival but speedily put up a circular of wrong facts. U deserved a show cause letter from JPA. U better step down bcos u r not a Malaysian leader, u acted more like a islamic leader. U r misleading the 15 million if muslims in the country. U r insulting millions of Hindu. Do u think u deserve to be sack?

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Idiot Adzman, the more I write, the more I find your wrong doings. What's wrong with celebrating together with your countrymen what ever festival whether religious or otherwise. We are not asking muslims to follow any religious rituals or belief. We are just merely asking all Malaysians to know about this Pongal festival and celebrate together as Malaysians. I m not Hindu, but wanted to know what my countrymen Hindus celebrating and possibly knowing the culture behind.Be liberal if u want to progress, look at Rukun Negara, u need a liberal mind to know the world u live in.

    Posted 6 years ago by James Wong · Reply