News Analysis: Temples and demolition

It's not that the over 100 years old temples were more powerful than the recently built ones, but I think the sentiment and belief that they are, often causes the people to treat such temples with more respect.

And so it came as no surprise that the recent demolishment of the hundred year-old Sri Muneswarar Kaliyamman temple on Jalan P. Ramlee caused an uproar among the community leaders, from both sides of the political divide.

It did not help matters when Federal Territory Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the temple was used as a façade for illegal activities and that a priest the ministry had engaged, found bottles of liquor in the temple bathroom.

Tengku Adnan's remarks drew criticism from MIC Youth, PKR and DAP members of Parliament with one even asking him to become a priest if he knows so much about Hinduism.

Now, Tengku Adnan’s statements that liquor bottles were found in the temple and that many temples are being investigated for being a façade for illegal activities would not surprise many Hindus if they are honest about it.

Popular blogger SK Durai had also mentioned such activities taking place in smaller temples and shrines and raised the question if such activities are in adherence to the Hindu teaching.

Let us not go into whether the demolition was legally done or whether Tengku Adnan was telling the truth or even if temple was even a temple and not a shrine.

Emotions aside, as Hindus, let us ask ourselves some questions.

Liquor offering to Gods, and then consuming them, smoking weed, slaughtering chickens and goats in temple compounds (some even sprinkle the slaughtered animals' blood on food prepared at temples before giving them to the devotees) and even brewing illicit liquor within the temple grounds are some of the common practices in Hindu temples, in particular smaller ones.

In some cases, we even have temple priests of dubious characters and some even self taught ones.

Let’s be fair and ask ourselves – is this what Hinduism all about? Is it even legal? And as the blogger pointed out, why do we allow such activities to take place within our sacred temples and in the process open doors for others to mock and make fun of us.

This is where the Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) comes. The most popular excuse given is that the temples are not registered with the organization and so it could not do anything about it.

Fine.

What about the community and the Hindus themselves? Why are we allowing such practices to take place?

More silence.

Until a legislative is passed to compel all Hindu temples and shrines to be registered with the organisation and made to follow strict guidelines (which MHS will have to draft), there is no control over what happens in a temple.

Proper registration of temples including land titles and ownership will surely help when issues of demolition crops up.

The people will also have to play their part – but questions are raised as to whom should they channel their complaints to? The police or the MHS? Are they empowered to address the matter?

The issues involving Hindu temples and shrines in the country need engagement from all stakeholders who truly have the interest of the community at heart.

So, let’s go back to basics and sort this out first.

Pass a law to compel all Hindu temples and shrines to be registered, come up with a guideline on the dos and don'ts on temple grounds, identify who has the power to solve any issues that may crop up in relation to Hindu temples and engagement from all relevant players.