The Human Rights Party has called on the Kedah government to drop its plan to relocate a more than a century-old Hindu burial ground in Kuala Ketil.

The PAS-led Kedah coalition government aims to flatten the graveyard located in a former estate to make way for the state-initiated Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) project.

NONE However, for HRP pro-tem secretary-general P Uthayakumar, the cemetery represents an integral part of Indian history in Kedah and wants it preserved.

He called on Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak instead to acquire and gazette the 0.8 acre site as a permanent Hindu burial ground.

He said Azizan can always apply his powers under Section 76 of National Land Code and Section 3 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire and preserve that plot of land for the Hindus.

He claimed that historical facts and the Straits Settlement Records have revealed that the plot was used as Hindu burial ground for estate workers since colonial times.

Cemetery land colonial masters' gift

"The land was a gift from the British to Hindus who worked in the estates.

"Hindus in Kuala Ketil continue to use this burial ground till today even after their estates have vanished," said Uthayakumar.

He said the cemetery in Ladang Batu Pekaka, Kuala Ketil, is an Indian heritage representing the more than 100-year history of Kedah Indians.

These Indians have lived, worked and died for Kedah since, he added.

penang kedah timber logging azizan abdul razak 310708 02 "They have every right to retain and maintain the burial ground," said Uthayakumar in a strongly-worded open letter to Azizan ( right ) yesterday.

When contacted however, Manikumar, who handles the state exco portfolios of tourism, Indian and Siamese affairs, refuted claims that the Batu Pekaka cemetery was as old as said to be.

"Based on our records, it has been operating illegally since the 1970s," Manikumar told Malaysiakini .

He also said that the state government was not planning to flatten the burial ground without any compensation.

He said already RM3,000 has been alloted as compensation for each of the graveyard's 80 plot owners and the state government has agreed to undertake all costs to relocate the entombed remains from Batu Pekaka to a nearby nine-acre site at the Padang Geh Hindu burial ground.

He claimed he had already secured the written consent of a majority of the Kuala Ketil Hindu community to do so.

Uthayakumar said HRP was intervening in the controversial proposal to do away with the graveyard at the invitation of Persatuan Tamilar Kuala Ketil's president V Raj Maniyan, 60.

The cemetery was under the Kedah Development Corporation (PKNK) when the previous BN state government acquired part of the Batu Pekaka estate land to develop an industrial park about seven years ago.

NONE When contacted, Raj Maniyan explained that the BN government had dropped its initial plan to relocate the burial ground after hearing out his association's views and opinions.

However, he said trouble started brewing in the middle of this year when the PAS-led government wanted to demolish the graveyard to make way for a higher learning institute, a project undertaken by the government-linked company, Bina Darul Aman Bhd.

He claimed that the state government had so far turned a deaf ear to all pleas and representations from the his association.

Uthayakumar accused the Kedah government of using mandore-style politics ala Umno to resolve the problem by dispatching PKR's executive councillor and Bukit Selambau assemblyperson S Manikumar to handle the issue.

Divide and rule game plan alleged

Uthayakumar said he had received complaints that Manikumar had adopted a divide and rule policy by luring the Indian community in Kuala Ketil with monetary, alcohol and contract incentives.

He also claimed that the PKR man had allegedly hired gangsters to create disturbances in the rural hamlet.

NONE Raj Maniyan also alleged that Manikumar had even shouted, manhandled and pushed him out of his exco office in Wisma Darulaman, Alor Star on Nov 12 when he was there to discuss the issue with him.

"In my whole life, no one had mistreated me so badly . . . it was a humiliation for me," he said.

Manikumar vehemently denied he had acted aggressively against Raj Maniyan.

"He is a senior citizen and I'm a young exco. How could I have acted so violently against him?

"I'm not a gangster neither do I advocate gangster politics," he said, adding that he was contemplating suing Raj Maniyan for allegedly tarnishing his image with lies.

He also denied that engaging in malpractices to lure and split the Indian community.

He dared the accusing parties to prove their allegations with evidence.

Manikumar alleged that Raj Maniyan had been the source of the whole controversy, instigating Kuala Ketil Indians to go against the state government.

"Raj Maniyan had been blackmailing and threatening the state government with all sorts of civil rights actions even though the people support us," he claimed.