Just Issue The Order Saravanan Urges Pm On Illegal Temple Term

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 The MIC deputy president says the matter doesn’t need to be discussed by the Cabinet as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim can just issue a directive.
MIC deputy president M Saravanan had written to the prime minister urging him to issue a directive for government departments and agencies to stop using the term ‘illegal temple’.TAPAH: MIC deputy president M Saravanan has again urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to issue a directive to government departments to refrain from using the term “illegal temple”, saying the matter does not need to go through the Cabinet
Saravanan said the prime minister had the authority to issue the directive immediately, without the Cabinet discussing it beforehand.
“(Government spokesman) Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet did not discuss it. But to me, it does not need to be discussed at the Cabinet level.
“The prime minister can make the decision and order the chief secretary to the government to issue a directive to all (government) agencies on the matter,” he said on the sidelines of a campaign event for the Ayer Kuning by-election.
The Tapah MP had written a letter to Anwar saying Putrajaya should not overlook the historical facts surrounding the establishment of Hindu temples in Malaysia, many of which received approval from colonial authorities and local administrators.
The former minister said many Hindu temples in Malaysia existed long before the National Land Code 1965, and that labelling them “illegal” was offensive to Hindu devotees.
Saravanan’s appeal to Anwar was in response to a letter from the Taiping Hospital management stating that it would take the appropriate legal action against an “illegal” Hindu temple on its premises.
Based on 2018 election data, Indian voters comprise 14% of the electorate in Ayer Kuning, which falls under the Tapah parliamentary constituency.
Saravanan previously expressed confidence that Indian voters in Ayer Kuning would not boycott the by-election despite the controversy over the relocation of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur. - FMT

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