We note your readers’ views and suggestions on the matter of Hindu temples in Malaysia. The writers have rightly stated that the Malaysia Hindu Sangam plays a critical role in addressing the various problems concerning the status of Hindu temples in Malaysia.

Temples are of a significant aspect in the lives of Hindus, and many traditionally believe that one cannot live where there is no temple. Besides serving as an oasis for spirituality, the temples are also essential community centres for cultural and social activities - including festivals, weddings, teaching of traditional music and dance, as well as even serving as a networking point for friends and family.

Furthermore, the Malaysia Hindu Sangam puts great emphasis on the critical importance and the great potential that the temples can play in offering solutions to some of the social problems affecting the community. The activation of the Atmah projects, which provides free tuition and human values classes for children from poor urban families, as well as the Vidhyalaya (pre-school) programmes using the temples network, are the hallmarks of this effort.

Both the latter programmes are focused on providing better opportunities for children from poor communities to better themselves through free tuition classes, human values and living skills guidance, career and personal development counseling as well as other social welfare activities.

However, in Malaysia today, due largely to what we feel is the media coverage, temples have become more renowned for the unfortunate demolition of some of them by various government authorities.

This problem is directly associated to the legal status of temples, especially with respect to land titles and regulatory approvals of structures. An unofficial count puts a number of 17,000 temples around Malaysia – including all, big or small. While many of these temples have the required legal status as well as a sound administrative system, there are also many which lack these features.

Malaysia’s temples have grown with the community. Hence, we can find a vast number of temples that are located in former plantation areas, which used to be where many Indian Malaysians were working and living.

Today of course, the plantations have gone but many of the temples still remain and are faithfully maintained by devotees. Currently, many temples are also present in urban areas all over Malaysia, where Hindus live. Temples in this country have all been built by the blood, sweat and tears of the Hindu community with very little funding from the government.

It must be said that temples have largely been established with the dynamic efforts of individuals and organisations in their respective communities.

While there is no mandatory or official governance system that standardises all temples, the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, as the principal national representative body for Hindus in Malaysia, has been playing an active role in supporting the network of temples around the country with a structured response and government liaison service that is available to all.

Our goal has been to ensure that all temples in Malaysia not only achieve the necessary legal status, but also are able to function effectively to best serve the needs of the communities that patronise them.

We have consistently called for all temples committees to register their respective institutions with Malaysia Hindu Sangam. This can be done quite easily as the Sangam is well represented in each state with branch offices in all parts of the country with a significant Hindu population.

Regardless of whether they may be registered with Malaysia Hindu Sangam or not, any particular temple that is under duress of being demolished can always be assured of affirmative pro-active action by the Sangam to ensure that the matter is addressed amicably and within the law, and in keeping with the spirit of muhibbah.

In respect of the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple in Ampang Jaya, Selangor,which was recently demolished by the Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya, the Malaysia Hindu Sangam had played a primary role in ensuring that the Selangor government took immediate measures to remedy the misdirected actions of the local council.

We continue to serve as an intermediary in the ongoing discussions between the state government and the temple council in resolving this matter, particularly towards ensuring that the temple is allotted a suitable new site as well as the necessary resources for its reconstruction, so that it may then continue to serve the devotees in that community.

The Sangam has worked closely over the years with all relevant federal government bodies as well as state governments regardless of which side of parliament they may be seated. Our goal has been to ensure that a relevant and well-resourced Hindu temple network is in place, to ensure a harmonious, spiritually-inspired and culturally enhanced community of Malaysian Hindus.

Towards this end, the Malaysia Hindu Sangam has been working on arriving at long term solutions towards addressing social issues, including the matter of legal status of Hindu temples. We are approaching this from not only the Hindu perspective, but also with due regards to all of us being part of a multi-racial, multi-religious nation.

While it appears to be a colossal task, especially with the numerous temples around the country, we are confident of arriving at a situation that will be acceptable to all, without compromising on the accessibility of Malaysian Hindus to their spiritual and cultural sanctuaries.

For this to happen, all stakeholders must play their part objectively and equitably – this includes the temple committees and devotees, the political leaders, as well as regulatory authorities.

The writer is president, Malaysia Hindu Sangam.