KEDAH Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has hit back at his critics over the state’s recent demolition of the Sri Madurai Veeran Hindu temple in Alor Star.

He pointed the finger at his chief critics, MIC leaders and Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy, were allegedly fanning racial and religious sentiments over the demolition.

He also slammed them for being incoherent and drunk, urging them not to appear “drunk on two to three bottles after only consuming one”, adding they were “drunk on the toddy of popularity” and desired to become “champions of race”.

“The case was twisted to create a perception that PAS is a religious extremist party that discriminates against other religions,” he said in a Facebook posting.

He reiterated that the temple was demolished because it was sited on a KTM land illegally.

He also said the temple was not 100 years old, as had been alleged previously.

“No Indian leaders from MIC and DAP dared to reveal this fact. Instead, they fan racial and religious sentiment to become champions.”

He further said that the temple was not the only illegal structure in Alor Star that was torn down by the state authorities, pointing out that a silat facility near the temple was also torn down for the same reason.

“Why did MIC and DAP not speak about the silat court?” he said.

Sanusai also said the authorities offered the temple management a better site to which they could relocate the structure, but the management refused.

The menteri besar has come under fire recently over the demolition of the temple.

He had said that the temple was demolished as it had been built on land without permission and had, as such, “broken the law”.

He next called for MIC – an ally in the ruling Perikatan Nasional coalition – to be outlawed for criticising the demolition.

MIC president S.A. Vigneswaran said it was PAS that should be outlawed for supporting certain international organisations with links to terrorism.

Meanwhile, MIC deputy president M. Saravanan accused Sanusi of failing to keep a promise to inform him and National Unity Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique before the demolition of any non-Muslim place of worship.

Ramasamy described Sanusi as a liability and a burden to the Kedah government, and should be removed from his post. – December 5, 2020.