There is rightly so much fuss with newspaper coverage when it comes to muslim, Chinese or Christian cemeteries (Contractor apologises for dumping tombstones – The Star 13/4/2010 at page N29) (Cemetery runs out of space – The Star 13/4/2010 at page N28) and (Batu Nesan tidak peka dengan sensitiviti keluarga – UM 13/4/2010 at page 25).
But when it concerns Hindu cemeteries, not only is there no fuss but hundreds have been trampled and bulldozed with impunity.
The last being the Hindu cemetery at PKR’s Kuala Kubu Baru where the bones were strewn all around by developers. But there is no apology. Then the Ladang Batu Pekaka Hindu cemetery being desecrated by the Kedah PAS government in collaboration with UMNO and Kedah police.
Over the weekend at the Rantau forum on 10/4/2010, we were told that the whole of the nearby Kuala Sawah Hindu cemetery was bulldozed with impunity.
A local Hindu, Muniandy (not his real name) complained to us that the whole of the Kuala Sawah century old Hindu cemetery was bulldozed and wiped out with impunity, when it is a criminal offence punishable with one year jail under Section 297 of the Penal Code. Muniandy even complained to the N. Sembilan Menteri Besar who had told him not to raise the matter and then was asked him to leave the MB’s office. But the print and electronic media have refused to carry these news unlike for the muslim cemetery herein above.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the desecration of Hindu cemetaries in Malay-sia. This continues because both UMNO and also PKR, PAS and DAP has refused to grant state land and the same gazetted accordingly to the hundreds of Hindu cemeteries nationwide as had been done for the muslim and other cemeteries.
Almost all Hindu cemeteries are on wasteland looking conditions. The local UMNO Majlis Perbandaran which are collecting quit rent have a legal statutory duty to maintain these Hindu cemeteries but are refusing to do so.
Instead the various UMNO and ably continued by the PAS, PKR and DAP state governments have outsourced their responsibilities by dishing out some peanuts cash allocations to the MIC and now PKR, PAS and DAP mandores to be in charge of these Hindu cemeteries.
Any change in the PKR, PAS and DAP state governments that they had promised?
When we raise these injustices Anwar Ibrahim, PKR, DAP and PAS says it is Hindraf’s racist agenda. But by refusing to speak out against these gross injustices, because they may lose the 60% Malay votes, does not become or qualify as a racist agenda.
Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice
