Barely into the new year, embattled Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has found himself stepping on the wrong foot of the Hindu community in Butterworth.

NONEToday, about 30 devotees of several temples in Butterworth staged a demonstration castigating Ramasamy for allowing the Hindu Endowment Board to use their land for private business.

The group carried banners with slogans "Our rights have been seized by the Endowment Board. Chairperson Prof Ramasamy should resign", and "DAP Penang state government has encroached on the land of the Indians".

They also criticised the DAP-led government with a banner saying, "54 years BN ruled the endowment board, no problem, but three years under the PR rule, there is problem. Where is CAT by the Penang government?"

CAT is the acronym for the state government's 'competency, accountability and transparency' administration policy.

Other banners read, "We do not need endowment, abolish the endowment (board)" and "Return the land belonging to the Indians, do not lie to the people".

'Ramasamy was rude'

The group, including several children, protested at the open field of the Sree Gangatharan Shiva Peruman temple, off Jalan Siram, which comes under the Hindu Endowment Board that Ramasamy chairs.

protest against ramasamy and hindu endowment board 020112 temple trustee a rajaA trustee of the Periacheamman temple on Jalan Mengkuang, A Rajan (right), said Ramasamy was "arrogant" and did not consult the local people before taking over the land last month for a used car and car wash company.

Rajan said there had been incidents in the past when parts of the four-acre land were given to private businesses and it was difficult to reclaim the land back for the temple.

He said he had raised the issue with Bagan Dalam assemblyperson A Thanasekharan, but no solution has been forthcoming.

"The last time we called Ramasamy, he sounded like a drunkard. He was very rude. He told us not to bother about the private business," Rajan, 56, told reporters.

"The Endowment Board should be protecting the properties of the temples, but it is now becoming a trespasser," he added.

One week ultimatum

Rajan said the temple devotees were giving Ramasamy and the Penang government one week to resolve the problem or they would raise the issue with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

He said the devotees might also take the matter to court as they do no want temple property to be mismanaged by the board.

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple chairperson K Jeganathan, who was among the protesters, said the land was often used for various temple activities, especially during Thaipusam.

"This is one of the few places we devotees have to carry out our activities. The government does not give us any other land. So, do not take away out temple land," Jeganathan said.

"About 5,000 to 6,000 people use this plot during Thaipusam. We will have no place else to go if they take away this land," he added.

Another temple devotee, S Rajasegar, said the protest was not organised by any political party, although some were members of various parties.
 
'Not an attack against chief minister'
 
Rajasegar said the protest was not a direct attack against the DAP or Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as the latter was a "good person".
 
protest against ramasamy and hindu endowment board 020112 resident s rajasegarHe urged the state government to be transparent, in accordance with its CAT principles.
 
"Pakatan Rakyat has only ruled for three years, but has already seized the properties of the temples. The land belongs to the temple, not to the Hindu Endowment Board," Rajasegar (right) added.
 
Meanwhile, Ramasamy said the group has no locus standi to claim the land as it belonged to the Hindu Endowment Board.
 
He said no disgruntled temple devotee or member has contacted him about this problem.
 
Ramasamy denied having spoken to any protester and expressed shock that they had labelled arrogant.
 
"They cannot claim this is public land as it belongs to the board. They have not contacted me and I have never spoken to any of them," he added.