MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has appealed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to instruct all government agencies and departments to stop using the term “kuil haram” (literally, illegal temples) when referring to Hindu temples.
This came about as the four-term Tapah MP handed over a letter to the PMX pertaining to the use of the word “kuil haram’ when referring to Hindu places of worship.
In the letter, Saravanan justified that many temples in the country were built during the British colonialisation era and Japanese occupation period before the enactment of the National Land Code in 1965.
“Back then, workers erected these temples near their workplaces,” he rationalised in his letter.
“The government should not overlook the fact that these temples did get approval from the relevant authorities at that time before they were built.”
As such, Saravanan stressed that labelling Hindu temples as “kuil haram” is insensitive to Hindus.
The former human resources minister also enclosed a copy of a letter from Hospital Taiping where it also used the term ‘kuil haram’ when responding to a certain complaint.
“Labelling such places of worship as ‘haram’ is totally insensitive and disregards their strong historical and cultural significance.
Responding to public complaints pertaining to the existence of a place of worship located within its premises, the Taiping Hospital deputy director Arni Nadhirah Abdul Hadi had in her official reply entitled “Maklumbalas PCB 965228 – Aduan Kuil Haram” stated that appropriate legal action would be taken to address the matter.
On this note, Saravanan strongly objected to the language used while highlighting that many of these temples have existed for decades, ie long before the enactment of the National Land Code in 1965.
Saravanan further revealed that following fragmentation of estates, the responsibility for overseeing the temples shifted to local communities.
The only MNIC lawmaker in the Madani government also pointed out that while these temples were initially located in remote and rural areas, urbanisation has since brought them into towns and cities.
This brought to mind the polemic surrounding the controversial relocation of the 130-year-old Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur some 50-60 metres away from its original site to make way for the construction of the Madani Mosque. – April 21, 2025
