Is it fair to levy RM10 on every Hindu devotee who offers a paal kudam (milk pot) during Thaipusam at Batu Caves?

Parti Keadilan Rakyat politician S Manikavasagam considers this "daylight manicrobbery" and has not failed to lodge a police report on the matter after each festival since 2002.

"The Sri Maha Mariamman temple committee is taking advantage of almost 1.5 million devotees and visitors attending such festivities," he said in his latest police report lodged on Sunday.

Save for a statement recorded in 2002 by the Selayang police, no further action has been taken, claimed Manikavasagam.

He argued that the temple committee has no business charging the fee because the milk pots are prepared by the devotees themselves. Moreover, during normal periods, there is no such charge for the ritual.

According to Tamil daily Tamil Nesan on Feb 2, temple committee chairperson R Nadarajah defended the fee. He said the committee needs RM23,000 each year to clean up after paal kudam rites, which involve pouring the contents over the statue of Lord Murugan.

Chinese daily Guang Ming Daily reported the same day that MIC president S Samy Vellu had also defended the fee.

"What are the devotees so upset about? The temple only collects RM10 once a year. At most, RM600,000 can be collect from such fees. It's not even enough to build a stretch of tarred road," he was quoted as saying.

"Unless the devotees want to see less beautification and facilities at Batu Cave temple, they will have to pay this reasonable fee ... If the devotees are upset, then continue to be upset.

"They think because one million people come to the temple, millions of ringgit can be collected. In reality, only 60-70 percent of people don't come to pray. They just come to have a look and leave."

The same report quoted Manikavasagam as alleging that Samy had defended Nadarajah because the latter is the MIC Batu Caves branch leader.

'Committee decides'

Malaysia Hindu Sangam president S Vaithilingam said his organisation, an umbrella body for Hindu groups, would appeal to the Sr Maha Mariamman temple committee to reduce the fee in future.

He said concessions should be given to families and to those who are poor.

Asked if he condoned the practice of collecting the fee, Vaithilingam said the issue does not arise as it is up to each committee to run the temple.

"Each temple has its set of rules. The charges depend on the type of expenditure for their functions. We will appeal to this temple to reconsider this matter, but we cannot interfere," said Vaithilingam when contacted today.

He also said that temples require a huge sum of money to ensure that Thaipusam celebrations are run smoothly.

"They (temple committee) don't get grants from the government. If the government is fair to all in the country and gives out grants, then temples don't have to collect money to operate," he said.

He added that devotees can fulfil their Thaipusam vows at any Murugan temple, and not the one in Batu Caves alone.