Parti Gerakan is shocked at the manner in which a Hindu Temple in Shah Alam was destroyed by enforcement officers from MPSA. It is indeed terrible that this sort of thing is allowed to happen, especially after the recent announcement by the Prime Minister that Malaysians should learn and understand each others’ religions.

What makes it even more painful is that it just before Deepavali. That this can actually happen is unthinkable. Are we living in the dark ages? There was also no need to resort to violence. If places of worship need to be demolished due to non-compliance with local laws, there are surely less traumatic ways of doing so.
In this case, the temple authorities could have been given more time to move, in view of the fact that land had been promised to them by the developer. The despicable act by MPSA officers, which smacks of religious intolerance cannot be condoned in this civilised, multiracial society.

MPSA should now make amends in a suitable manner, like financial compensation for instance. If incidents like this continue, they could lead to serious consequences, and disrupt national unity that the Barisan Nasional is trying so hard to achieve.

Dato Dr. S. Vijayaratnam,
Vice President,
Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia.