If Illegal Immigrants Offensive What More Illegal Temples Says Saravanan

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Amid an uproar over the use of the term “kuil haram” (illegal temples), MIC deputy president M Saravanan recalled a time when he was cautioned against using “illegal” to refer to immigrants.
The former minister said this was due to complaints to the government.
“The government is sensitive when we use the word illegal against foreigners, but the Indian community has worked hard for over 200 years to develop this country.
“If the term ‘illegal immigrants’ is offensive, what more ‘illegal temples,” he said in a speech at a temple in Batu Caves, Selangor, today.
Saravanan noted that if the Indian community had not come to Malaysia as rubber tappers, Malaysia might have taken longer to develop, stating that it was a fact the country became developed from selling rubber.
“The Indian community is united because of the temple. This is where we gather. Before this, history was not disputed, but in these six months, it has become an issue (and) we all know who and how they did this,” he added.
Stop using term
On April 21, Saravanan urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to direct all government agencies and departments to cease using the term “kuil haram”.
This followed a response from the Taiping Hospital management to a complaint regarding a place of worship located on its premises.
An area in Taiping Hospital which became the centre of controversyIn an official reply titled “Maklumbalas PCB 965228 - Aduan Kuil Haram”, Taiping Hospital deputy director Arni Nadhirah Abdul Hadi stated that appropriate legal action would be taken.
Saravanan strongly objected to the language used, highlighting that many of these temples have existed for decades - long before the enactment of the National Land Code in 1965.
Term dispute
ADSThe recent dispute over the term began with the controversial relocation of the 130-year-old Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur, which was moved to make way for a mosque.
At the time, Anwar stated that the temple had been erected without permission from its previous and current owners.
“Regarding the plan to construct a mosque on a site which houses a temple that was built without permission.
“Some people do not want to use the term illegal, it’s okay, it is just a term," he said.
He also went on to describe the construction of the mosque as a “victory” at the groundbreaking ceremony after the temple committee agreed to a relocation.
Various quarters blamed Anwar for setting the tone for the controversy, with Lawyers for Liberty executive director Zaid Malek calling on him to defuse the issue.
Zaid urged Anwar and the government to publicly declare against using the word “haram” for any house of worship, even if it is located on disputed land.
Zaid had also noted that most of the hostility is coming from “one ethnic group”, calling it a disturbing and concerning trend. - Mkini

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