Malaysian Hindus protest demolition of temples

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Malaysian Hindus protest demolition of temples

Press Trust of India

Kuala Lumpur, May 25, 2006

Minority Hindus staged a rare protest on Thursday to condemn the

demolition of temples by authorities.

 

About 50 protesters gathered on the sidewalk outside the headquarters

of Kuala Lumpur City Hall, and threatened to file a civil suit

against the government and local councils if the destruction of Hindu

temples doesn't stop.

 

Waving banners that read "Demolishing temples is criminal," the

protesters chanted prayers to the Hindu God of destruction, Shiva,

and smashed a coconut as a prayer offering.

 

The activists said hundreds of Hindu houses of worship have been

destroyed in the past 15 years across the country, blaming a

growing "Islamisation" of Malaysia.

 

At least seven temples have been torn down, partly destroyed, served

demolition notices or torched since late February in various parts of

the country, they said.

 

"We are not asking for a club to play billiards. We are not asking

for a prostitution centre," said P Uthayakumar, the group's

lawyer. "We are asking for our temples to pray."

 

About 60 per cent of Malaysia's 26 million people are Malay Muslims.

 

Chinese, most of them Buddhist or Christian, represent about 25 per

cent of the population and ethnic Indians -- mostly Hindus -- make up

10 percent.

 

The activists -- gathered in a coalition calling itself the Hindu

Rights Action Force -- were turned away by City Hall police officers

who refused to accept a petition denouncing the temple destruction.

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