As a former civil servant-cum-assistant secretary of the Hindu Endowments Board, Penang I seek to draw the attention of the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to seriously look into the announcements made by certain law-illiterate commissioners of the Hindu Endowments Board that the religious festivals and processions of the Nattukottai Chettiar Hindu Temples would be taken over by the board with the help of the PKR government and the police.

Perhaps the announcements could be mere ‘rehearsals’ to divert the attention of the donors to focus on the newly-proposed hill top temple as against the historical beginnings of the Thaipusam festival as organised by the Chettiars.

The board, being a statutory body, is only a trustee to manage the endowments in the form of ‘money’ and ‘land’. Religious affairs, donations, including the building and consecrations of temples are not their mandatory business.

Section 7 of the ordinance empowers the board to collect incomes (not donations) derived from the assets and properties vested with the board. The presence of commissioners and the board secretary who is a civil servant is to oversee law and order in the board’s business.

At a thaneer panthal (free drinks stalls) and business stalls meeting on Dec 21 for this year’s incoming Thaipusam festival, a commissioner had openly criticised the Natukotai Chettiars and said that the future Thaipusam processions would be taken over by the board.

These are prima facie acts of abuse of power pursuant to the ordinance and Article 11 of the federal constitution.

Their constant interference in religious affairs has become a habit of the board lately and misconceptions that the conduct of the religion and burial rites of Hindus come under the supervision of the Board in Penang have been ‘illegally’ encouraged.

Perhaps, the chief minister should seek the advice of state legal adviser on two issues before permitting the board to make unwarranted injurious statements:

1 Whether the board has powers in the religious affairs of temples; and

2. Whether the board can collect donations or the like for the building and management of religious places built on the property of the endowments.

I strongly believe that the current abuses hurled by the commissioners of the board and its secretary, if left unchecked, would cause great damage and liability to the Pakatan Rakyat government’s sustenance and credibility.

The writer is deputy president, United Hindu Religious Council, Penang (UHRC).