SHAH ALAM, Sept 3 – Both the Federal and Selangor governments are separately scrambling to contain the fallout from last Friday’s cow-head protest held by a group who oppose a plan to relocate a 150-year-old Hindu Temple to Section 23 here.
While the state government is hosting a dialogue session with all residents this Saturday, the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government is also considering holding an event to bring both Muslims and Hindus together to defuse racial tension.
The plan, which entailed roping in the assistance of Hindu Sangam, was proposed to the Cabinet by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar, who is also the Umno state deputy liaison chief.
According to sources, the Cabinet is also considering offering an alternative site to relocate the Hindu temple despite the fact that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the state government.
The Malaysian Insider understands that Noh was forced to defend himself at the Cabinet meeting yesterday. He told the meeting that he did not instigate the Malay-Muslims of Section 23 to protest against the temple relocation.
He is understood to have also told the Cabinet that he would organise a sit-down with Hindus and Muslims in the neighbourhood.
However Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shahmugam today told The Malaysian Insider they have had no official invitation yet to meet the federal government about the issue.
Hindu Sangam also believes the proposed site in Section 23 is the best area to relocate the temple.
Mohan said the temple was not meant to cater only to the Hindus from Section 23 but also from Sections 19, 20, 21 and 22.
Together there are at least 3,000 Hindus in these areas, Mohan said, adding the issue of relocating the temple from its current site in Section 19, had been pending for the last two decades.
The current temple was once part of Sungai Garing Estate, but over the years the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS) had developed the areas surrounding the site into a housing estate.
The temple now lies in the middle of a Muslim-majority area and there had been no concrete effort to relocate until recently.
“This is not a new problem and I don’t understand why the small group of residents needed to protest in such a manner,” Mohan said.
Mohan said that carrying the head of a cow which is scared to Hindus was insulting and called on the government to take action against the culprits.
He also denied claims made yesterday by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein that residents of Section 23 had met Hindu Sangam to resolve the relocation issue.
“I have checked and there was no such meeting.”
However Mohan said he would welcome a meeting with the minister.
Meanwhile Hindu residents of Section 23 today also denied press reports that they also did not want the temple to be relocated to the area.
K. Raju said one third of all residents in Section 23 were Non-Malays and they have carried out a signature campaign to support the state government’s move to relocate the temple.
He also disputed claims in the press that the cow’s head used during the protest was brought to the scene by outsiders.
“The people who carried the head are Umno members, from Section 23, and they seem to be above the law.”
He added the protest was politically motivated.
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