The Star, Friday January 25, 2013
By A. LETCHUMANAN
letchu@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: The Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) has
been directed to refer four junior enforcement staff members to the
disciplinary committee over a notice issued to the Sri Maha Mariamman
Temple in Pekan Bangi Lama.
MPKj audit and good governance committee chairman Mazwan Johar
said the five-member panel which met on Tuesday had also recommended
that higher-ranking officials attend to issues related to places of
worship.
“The four were lower-ranking staff members. We want a
director or deputy director to be responsible in future,” he said when
contacted.
The temple committee claimed that it had received a notice to reduce the noise level and cease religious activities after 6pm.
In the Jan 8 compound notice, MPKj claimed the noise had disturbed residents. The notice has since been rescinded.
Mazwan said the recommendations have been submitted to MPKj president Datuk Hassan Nowawi and the state audit committee.
Meanwhile,
Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan has urged MPKj to initiate
disciplinary proceedings against the four for issuing the summons.
“It is clear they acted beyond their jurisdiction,” he said.
He
added that they had failed to adhere to the standing instruction which
requires the state government be told before any action is taken against
a place of worship.
Manoharan said he was disappointed with Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar for not addressing the problem faced by Hindu temples in the state.
“There
have been 18 notices of demolition issued to temples but the state
government has not come out with any directive to resolve the issue,” he
said.
He added that there have been calls to the state
government to initiate action against the Sepang Municipal Council
enforcement officers who demolished an altar in a house in Taman Seroja,
Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi in November last year.
“No action has been taken so far,” he said.
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