Why the fuss over burial now, MIC?

Penang's DCM II Ramasamy sees red over MIC and IPF raising a ruckus over Batu Kawan Hindu cemetery after 18 years.

PETALING JAYA: Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, P Ramasamy asked why the MIC is making a big fuss over a five-acre Hindu burial ground in Batu Kawan, Penang.

The 100-year-old burial ground was taken over by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) in 1993 to make way for a new multi-purpose stadium.

“The MIC did not make an issue of it for the past 18 years. Neither did the Indian Progressive Front. So why kick up a fuss now?” asked Ramasamy.

Yesterday, an English daily reported that the MIC and IPF went on a hunger strike to protest a planned takeover of the land by the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) from PDC.

The hunger strike only ended after newly-appointed MIC senator P Subbaiyah intervened and pledged to resolve the matter.

Ramasamy, last month, proposed that the PHEB takeover the land from the PDC because the Mahamariamman temple committee which was managing the land prior to 1993, had abandoned the burial ground.

“I made the proposal to the state secretary and PHEB because the latter only needed to pay the state government a nominal fee of RM1 to manage the burial ground,” said Ramasamy.

“The temple committee which is currently keen on getting control of the land, however, would have to come up with RM15 million to buy over the land, which I doubt it can.”

Ramasamy added that the PHEB, which is cash rich, is in a better position to manage the grounds and needs only RM1.5 million build an incinerator for cremation purposes.

The PDC, when it took over five-acre burial plot in 1993, compensated the Mahamariamman temple with two acres of land at another location away from the original burial ground.

Subbaiyah denied that MIC is opposing the plan and said the state government should include the temple committee in the discussions over future of the burial ground.

[File pix shows IPF leader at the cemetery]