A CENTURY-OLD Hindu shrine that was demolished by the local council in Alor Star for road expansion has now been turned into a motorcycle park.
Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy has called the PAS-led Kedah government religiously intolerant for its action in demolishing the temple.
He wanted the state government and Alor Star City Council (MBAS) to explain the sudden change of plan.
“MBAS said the demolition of the shrine was to expand the road but now they built a motorcycle park.
“How is this going to resolve the traffic problem there?” he said.
The Sree Madurai Veeran temple at the entrance to Alor Star railway station was demolished overnight by MBAS in July, despite appeals.
The council had served an eviction notice to the temple caretaker, saying the shrine was built illegally on land reserved for roads and was disrupting traffic flow.
Ramasamy said the matter had been brought to the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government’s attention in a meeting in January, where it was proposed that the congestion could be prevented by converting the road in front of the shrine to a one-way street.
“However, when the PN government came in, the council started issuing notices and later demolished the shrine. This was done in a very vicious manner.
“This PAS-led government is very intolerant. They could have given the temple a small piece of land and asked them to move. The temple committee was ready to do so,” Ramasamy, who is also the Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman, told The Malaysian Insight.
Ramasamy said that the issue of legality should not come into play as he asserts that the shrine predates the railway station, and was built by Indian railway and municipal workers more than a century ago.
“This temple was perhaps built on the estate land long before the railway station came up. It was the result of migration by Indians. So, to say they were illegally squatting doesn’t make sense.
“If the Hindu temples are given proper lands, then the issue of illegality wouldn’t arise,” he said.
Ramasamy said he feared that there could be more temples demolished under the PN-led government.
“I don’t know where this is going to lead and how many more places of worship they are going to demolish, he said.
The Alor Star shrine was the second Hindu heritage temple to face demolition under the PN government. In late March, Perak, also under PN, demolished a temple in the prison compound of Kamunting detention centre.
The demolition took place during the movement control order period, without the knowledge of the temple committee. – August 21, 2020.
Unity gvt failing to curb religious extremism, says preacher
Kerajaan perpaduan gagal kekang ekstremisme agama, kata Wan Ji
Ask Anwar to allow Najib serve house arrest, Zaid tells KKB Indian voters
Chegubard didakwa lagi di JB esok, kata peguam
Leverage on Leftenan Muda Chan’s popularity
Emmanuel Joseph
Comments
Posted 3 years ago by Abdullah Abdul Rahman · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Watch Dog · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Thomas Samuel · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Thomas Samuel · Reply
You were probably not born when the workers were brought in and left in the jungles to clear the jungle and
plant rubber, build roads, lay railway tracks and develop villages and towns to develop the nation.
Posted 3 years ago by Vaithilingam Ampalavanar · Reply
You were probably not born when the workers were brought in and left in the jungles to clear the jungle and
plant rubber, build roads, lay railway tracks and develop villages and towns to develop the nation.
Posted 3 years ago by Vaithilingam Ampalavanar · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Thomas Samuel · Reply
Did we mention that they lost their corruption case to Clare Rewcastle Brown too?
Posted 3 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply