‘Give us another public holiday’

Batu Caves temple president Nadarajah asks PM Najib to consider two days of public holidays for Deepavali.

SELAYANG: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been urged to allow the Indian community another day off for Deepavali.

Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar Swamy Devasthanam Temple chairman R Nadarajah made this request this morning during his speech at the Thaipusam celebration here.

“I propose for an additional day of public holiday for Deepavali to enable all Malaysians to celebrate this festival more meaningfully,” said Nadarajah.

“Only then we can really call ourselves 1Malaysia. The Chinese community gets two days for Chinese New Year, Malays get two days for Hari Raya but the poor Indians only get one day.

“Make it happen and prove to the country and the world that we are truly 1Malaysia,” he told Najib, who was seated on stage during Nadarajah’s speech.

Nadarajah had earlier heaped praises on Najib and the BN administration and said if the government did more for the Indian and Hindu community, he would get more political support.

“We all like you. Definitely support you if you do all you can. I am a BN man. Live or die also we are with you, Najib. These people will definitely support you,” he said.

Nadarajah also called for the government to build an auditorium and a cultural centre at Batu Caves, besides granting more allocations for the temple and other temples around the country.