NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245 Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com
Your Reference :
In Reply : HRP/ Jan/ 10
Date : 29/01/2010
YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak
Prime Minister of Malaysia
Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax: 03-88883444
62502 Putrajaya E-Mail: najib@pmo.gov.my.
Thaipusam wish:- 1) Grant all hindu temples state land,
2) Build overhead railway bridge to preserve historical walk path to Batu Caves.
In conjunction with your goodselves maiden visit to Batu Caves on the occasion of Thaipusam this evening, we call upon your goodeself to announce, make public, distribute and post on the Prime Minister’s website the government’s written policy decision in an official circular on the letterhead of the Prime Minister’s office that :-
1) All hindu temples in Malaysia are forthwith granted government land in situ that is where the said hindu temples are situated presently.
2) Also that from this year’s Thaipusam (2010) onwards your goodselves direct that there shall be no more hindu temple demolishments in Malaysia.
With the above, the government would be seen to be abiding by Article 11 of the Federal Constitution and not committing any further and future offence of defiling a place of worship in contravention of Section 295 of the Penal Code which offence is in any event punishable with two years jail but which the UMNO Attorney General consciously does not prosecute and so the offence continuing with impunity.
We have received numerous complaints this year about the congestion, inconvenience and in fact obstruction to Freedom of Religion in contravention of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution arising out of the new railway line works which has blocked off the original and historical Thaipusam walkway to Batu Caves. “New rail tracks pose a problem for devotees” (Star Metro 29/01/2010 at page M3).
The government knows of the pre existing especially the annual week long Thaipusam celebrations with some two (2) Million people congregating at Batu Caves an Thaipusam day, Batu Caves being the leading tourist attraction site in Malaysia and a potential World Heritage Site.
Your goodself should not be seen to be coming to Batu Caves empty handed to merely fish for the crucial and critical Indian votes!.
We hereby call upon your goodself at this evening’s Thaipusam visit to also announce the building of an Elevated Railway Bridge to the Batu Caves Railway Station and thereby preserving the original and historical walk path to the Batu Caves hindu temple as has been the tradition in over the last 200 years.
We could off hand remember at least two recent precedents of this being done ie the elevated overhead highway next to the Ar Rahim Mosque in Pantai and the elevated highway next to the Rasah Railway gate to preserve the local Rasah Mosque.
Mr Prime Minister, the same can certainly be done for Batu Caves what more when it is soon anticipated to be recognized as a United Nations World Heritage Site.
Thank You.
Your Faithfully,
________________________
P.Uthayakumar.
Secretary General (pro-tem)
