Is there a MIC-ROS conspiracy in Penang, too?

There seems to be no end to allegations of conspiracy between the BN component party MIC and the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

A few weeks ago, some MIC leaders aligned to its former president G Palanivelu lodged police reports throughout the country alleging that the current president and Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam was involved in a conspiracy to remove Palanivel.

As this allegation gained momentum, there was another serious allegation of conspiracy between Subramaniam and the ROS in Penang to remove the Penang Hindu Endowment Board's (PHEB) control of the Sri Maha Muthumariamman Temple in Batu Kawan, Penang.

On Dec 17, 2015, the Penang court arrived at an interlocutory judgment in allowing the Persatuan Penganut Sri Maha Muthumariamman Temple to run temple activities until a final decision could be reached on Jan 14, 2016.

It was the same association that was de-registered by the ROS in early September 2015, following the PHEB takeover of all Hindu temples and burial grounds in the Batu Kawan estate area from the Penang Development Corporation (PDC).

After the PHEB took over temple in June 2015, an interim committee was appointed to manage the temple, comprising those who had earlier managed the temple. However, some members of the de-registered association were not happy and decided to challenge the decision of the PHEB.

I suspect, as result of the intervention of a BN minister, probably from the MIC, the association was given certain conditions by the ROS before its appeal for reinstatement could be considered.

However, the association, without going through the due process as stipulated by the ROS, was given an "overnight" approval by the same ROS, possibly as advised by Kuala Lumpur, on Dec 17, 2005, just hours before the court decision.

What is more, the director of ROS in Penang was removed and replaced with someone else within a day or two. Why the former director was removed remains a mystery. Was it a routine transfer or did it have anything to do with the de-registration of the former association?

Perhaps the MACC should investigate this matter, on whether proper procedures were adhered to in the transfer of this officer.

It was only after the association was legally reinstated and the letter to this effect was produced in the court yesterday did the judge give his inter-locutory judgment, allowing the association to run temple activities for an interim period of less than month.

Temple land ownership not considered

It is strange as to why the court did not consider the ownership of the temple land, the interim committee that managed the temple after the PHEB's takeover in June and before the said land came under the ownership of the PHEB.

What is difficult to believe is the fact that association that was de-registered only in September was re-instated within a matter one or two days. Only last week, the MIC president was in Penang, where he met members of the de-registered association and apparently promised to assist them.

As we understand, those in this association are members of MIC, former members of IPF and other BN-related parties. There are grounds to believe that Subramaniam could have approached the ROS in Kuala Lumpur to “assist” the de-registered association to regain its legal status.

So, the outcome of Subramaniam’s intervention was the restoration of the legal status of the association. Whether this was done according to procedures or whether there was something improper that took place will be a matter for the police and MACC to investigate.

The court, without verifying whether the association indeed had experience in managing the Batu Kawan temple, simply gave this association an interim judgment to manage the temple for a short period.

ROS must explain why a de-registered association that never managed the temple in the first place could be reinstated overnight. ROS must explain why its former director in Penang was removed within 24 hours to be replaced with someone else.

Gag order issued, but...

Was his removal related to on-going tussle between PHEB and the de-registered association? Was the Penang ROS directed by the Kuala Lumpur headquarters to provide immediate recognition to the de-registered association?

Despite the gag order imposed by the court yesterday for the two parties not to talk to the press, members of the newly re-registered association apparently went wild after the court decision.

Press meets were arranged in the evening and some of the members, after having consumed alcohol, went to the temple grounds and shouted vulgarities and profanities at the PHEB and members of the management committee.

Police reports have been lodged and PHEB's lawyer has been instructed to abrogate the inter-locutory order given by the court.

PHEB will be lodging police reports against allegations of conspiracy between the ROS and MIC. We want the police to investigate how a deregistered association that was never involved with the management of the Batu Kawan Hindu temple could be restored its legal status and be allowed to manage the temple "overnight".

We would like to know what really transpired between the MIC leaders and ROS. We would like also to know what is the real link between the MIC leaders and ROS and why does a government agency that should be impartial allowed itself to be manipulated to serve the political interests of BN and its component parties.

The majority of Indians in Penang are with the state government and its agency PHEB. They know the good deeds of the PHEB for the past eight years.

Despite the open hostility of some federal agencies, PHEB will continue to serve the larger social, religious and cultural interests of Indians in the state. PHEB will never give up its ownership of temples and burial grounds in Batu Kawan area. We will pursue the matter despite this temporary setback!

---

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the State Assemblyperson for Perai. He heads the PHEB. -Mkini