Penang Thaipusam panthal operators have further encountered disappointments in their preparations for the panthals (decorative food stalls) for the Thaipusam Festival on the 7th Feb.

The meeting held on the 18th Jan by the Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) with panthal operators did not go well with some of them as the temple chairman made a decision to have a centralised sound system all the way from Waterfalls Temple to the Race Course panthal junction of Jalan Macalister/Western Road.

In the first instance was the HEB chairman present during the meeting? Was the chairman of the temple given the mandate to make such decisions?

If not he should have consulted the commissioners who should have made the decision for the board.

How many panthal operators were in support of this decision and what were their reasons and how many were not in support of this decision and what were their reasons?

Was there a vote of head count?

Many panthal operators are dissatisfied and seriously considering pulling out this year.

Those who attended the meetings also raised issues about being harassed by unruly youths to change songs , repeat songs and that their panthals were damaged by youths when their requests was not met.

A centralised sound system is not the solution. The HEB should look at how they can handle this situation as many were unhappy about this decision.

The HEB should enforce more security and involve Rela and request for more police assistance.

HEB should also encourage volunteers to regulate and manage crowd control.

An enforcement team must check on all panthals to play only devotional songs. Why can't HEB improve things year to year instead of just looking at it as festival over in three days, and then it's on to next year.

The problems faced by panthal operators are not new as they have been facing them for years.

All they are requesting is for HEB to assist with more security and more new rules to curb the problems faced during the three days.

It must be taken into account the panthal operators are offering food and drinks to all devotees, the Hindu community, and the public which includes tourists from overseas.

It has been a tradition all these years for devotees to put up panthals offering food and drinks.

The panthal operators are paying a fee for putting up the refreshment panthals and its only fair they be allowed to have individual sound systems which provides a positive environment with only devotional songs being played - a practice and ruling in the past years.

The crowd gathers from Brown Road till Race Course in order to feel the atmosphere at Thanir panthals playing individual tunes.

The HEB board should make strict rulings and it should be abided by all panthal operators. The HEB should formulate procedures and conditions to be strictly followed by the panthal operators when the permits are issued.

On another note the Hindu Sangam reps should play their role as the Hindu religious entity to educate devotees and all kavadi bearers as this is a religious festival and they should be responsible for the people who are accompanying their kavadi.

The Hindu Sangam should prepare flyers on Thaipusam and promote how Hindus should celebrate Thaipusam.

The Hindu Sangam representatives should not be blaming the panthal operators for the behaviour of some devotees and those accompanying the kavadi bearers.

The panthal operators are doing good by serving food and drinks and should be applauded.

The Hindu Sangam representatives should prepare themselves two months before Thaipusam to issue circulars to temples and the Hindu community to create awareness about the religious values of Thaipusam.

Being the religious entity for Hindus, it support panthal operators who also play a key role in making Thaipusam in Penang a grand occasion every year.