For nearly 60 years, the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) was literally in the doldrums under the management of the MIC. But today, under the DAP-led government, it is a different story.

In a recent Penang MIC annual meeting in Perai, MIC president Dr S Subramaniam lamented that the PHEB was “recklessly” taking over Hindu temples in the state.

He further added that board seems rather prone in interfering with the internal affairs of Hindu temples whereas in other states it was the Registrar of Societies (ROS) that regulates and resolves temple problems.

According to him, the board was taking over temple managements on the “pretext” of solving temple disputes.

Subramaniam should be informed that the PHEB has only managed to take over the administration of three temples in Penang.

The temple in Perai was taken over last year as result of ROS’ deregistration of the temple committee, the second temple in Batu Kawan (Murugan temple) was taken over when the land was transferred to the board by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC). In Nibong Tebal the temple committee voluntarily placed the management under the board as result of financial difficulties.

Contrary to the “alarming” picture painted by Subramaniam, the board has not taken over “hundreds” of Hindu temples but only three. It is strange that Subramaniam forgot to mention that many temples in Penang have expressed a desire to come under the board simply because the board engages in clean administration.

Subramaniam should have known that there is only one Hindu Endowments Board in the country that is in Penang. Malacca had one, but it has mysteriously disappeared some years back. One wonders why the MIC is silent on this matter of disappearance.

The PHEB is working closely with ROS over temple matters. In fact, the ROS even approached the board to manage 26 temples that were either having problems or were about it to be deregistered. If Subramaniam wants facts, I can show the list to him.

While the ROS provides registration for organisations to run and manage the temples, it is ill-equipped to manage temples from a religious perspective. This is why in a recent meeting, it was ROS that suggested that a consultation process should be opened up with the board in the management and regulation of temples, at least in Penang.

The PHEB is a well-managed statutory body of the Penang state government. We have properties and temples worth millions of ringgit. After the change in government in 2008, the cash reserves of the board leapt to millions from a mere RM3, 000. I suppose Subramaniam will have nothing to say about this because it was the MIC under the BN that managed the board over 60 years.

We are not in the business of interfering with existing private temples. The majority of the temples are well-managed and the board has no problems with them. We are merely concerned with some temples, especially those run by caste and family groups, that use the temples and public donations for some ulterior purposes.

Subramaniam cannot simply accept the fact that PHEB is well-managed and is in a stable financial position to provide scholarships and funds to the Indian community. He cannot even explain to the Indian public why the board is doing so well now then when it was under the MIC for 60 years, but did nothing worthwhile for the community.

Rather than picking on the board, I suggest that Subramaniam should spend more time looking at the woes of the Indian community and why the MIC, the so-called ‘sole’ representative, failed Indians miserably and tragically.

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.