With Thaipusam just weeks away, the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) has yet to hold a meeting with some 300 operators of refreshment stalls to prepare for the key event.

The operators set up refreshment stalls - known as panthal in Tamil - each year, as thousands of devotees pay homage to the deity Lord Murugan over the three-day celebration. It falls on Feb 7 this year.

An operator, Tharshana Rayer, said the meeting would typically have been called in December, to enable elected representatives and HEB commissioners to address relevant issues.

thaipusam These include the duration of the chariot procession, shoplot allocations, the coconut- breaking ceremony, allocation of sites for refreshment stalls and voluntary assistance for the temples.

"It is now January and I wonder why the HEB has not issued any notices or press statements to the public and panthal operators," Tharshana said in a statement to Malaysiakini .

"The HEB must  at all times  observe integrity when serving  the Indian community during such religious festivals  and this meeting should be held without fail.   

"It is mind-boggling as to why the HEB is keeping (silent). Could it be because of (problems it has faced in) leasing land to private businesses in Butterworth?"   

‘Explain lease arrangement’

Early this month, about 30 Hindu devotees staged a protest at the Sree Gangatharan Shiva Peruman Temple in Butterworth, over two private business they said were encroaching into temple land.

The HEB clarified that it owns the land, and that the temple management had been informed about the lease arrangement.

However, Tharshana questioned if the land had been leased under an open tender system, since HEB had failed to clarify this point.

protest against ramasamy and hindu endowment board 020112 01 "It is also crucial that the HEB calls for the meeting with the respective  parties to show good governance and (maintain) its good name," Tharshana said.

The HEB was further urged to disclose the process of appointing commissioners and the remuneration provided to them and the administrative staff.

Meanwhile, HEB executive director M Ramachandran denied that the HEB was not prepared for or had delayed the preparations for the grand annual festival.

Ramachandran said various state departments will be meeting in Komtar today to discuss the event, and following that, a meeting would be organised with the operators.

“A lot of work has already been done on the ground,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

On the lease of the Butterworth temple land for commercial use, Ramachandran declined to comment on the matter, saying, “I do not want to speculate or comment about such controversial issues.”

He said the matter was closed and if anyone had any problem with the issue or suspected any irregularity, he or she could take it to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

As to whether the lease was given out on an open tender basis, and the question of appointment of HEB commissioners, Ramachandran's was: “Who is asking? I do not need to answer. They can raise the matter with the MACC if they are not satisfied.”