ADUN SPEAKS | Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has declared Jan 18 as a holiday for Thaipusam in the state next year.

It was the same Sanusi who cancelled this year’s Thaipusam holiday due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although Thaipusam was not celebrated by the Hindus due to the pandemic this year, there was no reason whatsoever for Kedah to cancel the holiday.

Thaipusam is not a gazetted holiday in Kedah, but the state executive council must give its approval annually.

Why the Thaipusam has not been gazetted as a public holiday in Kedah seems strange as other states have done this a long time back.

Sanusi was condemned for cancelling this year’s Thaipusam because he was seen as a racist and a religious extremist.

Intolerant person

It was not just the cancellation of the Thaipusam holiday, but the demolition of two historic Hindu temples in Kedah, one in Alor Setar and the other in Kulim, within a matter of months.

Putting all these actions together against the Indian community, Sanusi came to be seen as an intolerant person.

The temple in Alor Setar was built more than a hundred years ago during the British colonial period by Indian railway workers.

This was the reason why the temple was basically a shrine that was placed under a magnificent tree near the present railway station.

It was demolished in the early morning by the irresponsible Alor Setar city council authorities to make way for a motorcycle parking lot.

This is Malaysia - the authorities could destroy a Hindu temple to make way for a mere motorcycle parking lot. An alternative site for the temple to relocate was not given.

Uncertain future

The Hindu temple in Kulim, more than 60 years old, was destroyed on the grounds of its illegality without the benefit of alternative land.

There is a fear that more Hindu temples on private and state land might meet similar fates of the above two temples mentioned.

Under the present PAS state government, the future of the Hindus remains uncertain.

However, good sense or fear of God must have prevailed over Sanusi to allow for the Thaipusam holiday next year.

The Hindus in the state might be happy, but I am not sure they are willing to appreciate or forgive Sanusi. They see evil in him.

But there is a very small section of Indians in the community who might be eternally grateful to Sanusi and to the party, PAS, that has nothing but contempt and total disregard for non-Muslims.

Wolves in sheep’s clothing

It is not necessary for the Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS) to see Sanusi through the backdoor. Its leaders might even want to take credit for “influencing” Sanusi to allow for the Thaipusam holiday.

Such is the sad state of affairs of MHS and many other Hindu organisations for not defending the rights of Hindus in the country.

However, they seem to have all the time in the world to interfere and discredit the curriculum in Tamil schools with their particularities on religion.

It is not the time to divide the community but to defend it against racists, religious bigots and those masquerading as wolves in sheep’s clothing.

P RAMASAMY is Perai assemblyperson and Penang deputy chief minister II.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.