Padang Serai MP N Gobalakrishnan said Pakatan Rakyat is "anti-Hindu" because of the controversy over the new 29-storey condominium near the Sri Subramaniam Temple in Batu Caves, which is deemed highly sacred by Hindus.

protest at batu cave temple 261012 condo drawing "I am saddened and worried when I think about the Batu Caves temple matter. I think it is a conspiracy by certain parties to destroy another icon of the Indian (Malaysian) community.

"I'm saying this because there are certain leaders in Pakatan Rakyat who are anti-Hindu. Their main agenda is to split Indians and turn them into slaves," Gobalakrishnan told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

He claimed that there are no Hindu leaders in the Selangor exco and added that the recent incident is like the Kampung Buah Pala incident, which showed 'neglect' of the Indian Malaysian community.

Asked to elaborate on the "anti-Hindu" label, he replied: "(Opposition Leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) is anti-Hindu and some of the leaders like (Selangor exco) Dr Xavier (Jeyakumar) are anti-Hindu."

'Help BN undo its mistake'

Elaborating, Gobalakrishnan claimed that Anwar had, as deputy premier in 1998, said that he would make sure that the bells of Hindu temples would not ring.

"I know he is suing someone for those words but I can testify to that," he said.

Anwar had in 1998 served as mediator after clashes broke out between worshipers at a mosque and a nearby Hindu temple in Kampung Rawa, Penang.

In the run-up to the 2008 general election, MIC president S Samy Vellu had used the issue against Anwar, to which the latter explained his role in the issue and denied instigating racial clashes.

While acknowledging the fact that the condominiums were approved by the BN-led state government in 2007, Gobalakrishnan said the rakyat should still vote for BN so that it can "undo its wrongs".

This, he said, was because Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had already apologised to the rakyat before.

"If in 2007 BN approved it, ask the people to vote BN in so they can undo that (the condominium) because the prime minister had said sorry, we (BN) have overlooked many things and this was possibly one of them," he said.

Apologise to me, MP tells Ronnie Liu

Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor parliamentarian P Kamalanathan at a press conference in the Parliament lobby this evening demanded that Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu apologises for saying he was a Selayang municipal councillor when plans for the condominium were approved.

NONE "I was a municipal councillor from 2004 to 2006. I was no longer a councillor in 2007 (when the plans were approved)," Kamalanathan told reporters.

He accused Liu of "defamation in the first class" and believes that the exco member "wants Indians to hate me by saying this".

Kamalanathan said his aides have lodged a police report over Liu's accusations and that he wanted the apology as soon as possible.

Failing which, he added, he would take whatever steps necessary to protect his good name as he was already seeking the services of a lawyer.