Chairman dismisses claim temple to build access for wheelchair users

 

Temple committee chairman T Maharathan said he never promised to build a route for wheelchair users.

PETALING JAYA: The chairman of a temple here has rubbished a claim that the management has agreed to build a temporary route for wheelchair users to access a prayer area.

The temple’s management had drawn flak for not allowing a wheelchair-bound devotee to access a prayer area after a video of the incident went viral on social media on Dec 25 last year.

In the video, a woman could be heard confronting the temple management after her wheelchair-bound brother-in-law was prevented from entering the prayer area.

Malaysia Hindhudharma Maamandram, an NGO, claimed last week that the temple management had promised to build a temporary route for wheelchair users in two weeks.

However, temple committee chairman T Maharathan denied the claim, calling it a “lie”.

“I never said that (promising to build a temporary route),” he said at a press conference today.

Maharathan said he stood by his decision not to allow wheelchair-bound devotees to access the prayer area as it was “not safe” for them.

He said he did not need the advice of NGOs or temple associations, adding that the temple had its own management, which was answerable to its devotees and members. - FMT