WHEN Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivered his “victory” speech after the storm over the relocation of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur blew over, it might have been misunderstood by some quarters as a call to act aggressively against the minority ethnic group.
Perhaps, this explains why the “tide of anti-Hindu sentiment” is rising with the Malaysian Advancement Party (MAP) founder and chairman P. Waytha Moorthy wanting PMX to address the issue urgently.
The “battle” over the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple was fought quite intensely as stakeholders, outsiders and the authorities locked horns over how to resolve the “conflict”.
In the end, the PMX planted the flag of victory as it was decided that the temple, ostensibly built illegally, must make way for a mosque. Peace was restored but it appears the incident has triggered a backlash against the Hindu community.
Waytha who is understandably concerned over the mounting instances of racial slurs and religious hatreds targetted against Hindus wants Anwar to convene a special Cabinet meeting to discuss the matter.
But what can the PMX do? Sure, he can summon an urgent meeting of his Cabinet colleagues to come up with some action plan but it will be an exercise in futility because when it comes to matters of faith, he knows where he stands.
A politician is always a politician
And where does PMX stand? It is not too difficult to come up with the probable answer: he stands on the side of politics.
PMX may position himself as a fatherly figure to “anak Cina, India, Dayak, Kadazan-Dusun” but the politician in him always surfaces whenever he has to deal with controversies.
As a politician, he has to show his mettle to his supporters and opponents alike as he tries to seek solutions to tricky issues.
To his supporters, he must show he is not conceding too much ground to ethnic minorities seeking justice and a fair deal.
To his opponents, he must ensure he does not lose his credentials as an unflinching fighter for all those sacred rights and special privileges cast in stone.
So, how to deal with the strident calls to do something concrete for the Hindu community? Legalise temples without permits? Give more land to relocate these houses of worship?
Or preserve age-old temples as heritage sites? Give more allocations to alleviate the plight of these long-considered deprived and neglected section of the population?
Or listen to one of his PKR assemblymen, Gunaraj George (Sentosa), who proposed that the government form an advisory board to deal with non-Muslim religious affairs?
How on earth can PMX meet the demands of this small community whom Waytha says is under increasing attacks? Susah (difficult)! Susah sekali (very difficult). PMX can only softly shake his head and hope the dark clouds will go away.
Not so easy. He has to calculate the political costs if he continues to ignore the plea for help. Already, MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has warned that the Madani government can kiss Indian votes good-bye if there’s still no action taken against one Muslim preacher who had mocked Hinduism.
Aiyo! Apa naik buat (what to do)? The Indians may form a small segment of society but still their votes (in the 16th General Election) can spell victory or defeat to the Madani coalition.
In fact, former DAP stalwart and the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council chairman Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy has on numerous occasions described his community as “kingmakers”.
How then can PMX get back into the favour of this still influential minority group? He cannot be singing classic Hindi film songs to woo them because such Bollywood antics or tactics can no longer pull the heartstrings of these descendants of hardworking immigrants.
The Indian community is here to stay, its temples are an integral part of the Malaysian fabric and its faith is as solid as rock. The attacks on them – on social media or in person – will only further exacerbate an already fraught race relation.
PMX the politician may be powerless to help them but the statesman in him can use his powerful office to stem the tide of bigotry and answer affirmatively to the tiny voices seeking help to redress their grievances. – May 3, 2025
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
