With Thaipusam just weeks away, the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) has
yet to hold a meeting with some 300 operators of refreshment stalls to prepare
for the key event.The operators set up refreshment stalls - known as panthal in Tamil
- each year, as thousands of devotees pay homage to the deity Lord Murugun over
the three-day celebration. It falls on Feb 7 this year.
An operator, Tharshana Rayer, said the meeting would typically have been called in December, to enable elected representatives and HEB commissioners to address relevant issues.
These include the duration of the chariot procession,
shoplot allocations, the coconut- breaking ceremony, allocation of sites for
refreshment stalls and voluntary assistance for the temples.
"It is now January and I wonder why the HEB has not issued any notices or press statements to the public and panthal operators," Rayer said in a statement to Malaysiakini.
"The HEB must at all times observe integrity when serving the Indian community during such religious festivals and this meeting should be held without fail. "It is mind-boggling as to why the HEB is keeping (silent). Could it be because of (problems it has faced in) leasing land to private businesses in Butterworth?"
‘Explain lease arrangement’
Early this month, about 30 Hindu devotees had staged a protest at the Sree Gangatharan Shiva Peruman Temple in Butterworth, over two private business allegedly encroaching on temple land.The HEB clarified that it owns the land, and that the temple management had been informed about the lease arrangement.
However, Rayer questioned if the land had been leased based on an open tender system as HEB had failed to clarify this point.
"It is also crucial that the HEB calls for the meeting with the respective parties to show good governance and (maintain its) the good name," he said.The HEB was further urged to disclose the process of appointing commissioners and the remuneration provided to them and the administrative staff.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/186279
An operator, Tharshana Rayer, said the meeting would typically have been called in December, to enable elected representatives and HEB commissioners to address relevant issues.
These include the duration of the chariot procession,
shoplot allocations, the coconut- breaking ceremony, allocation of sites for
refreshment stalls and voluntary assistance for the temples."It is now January and I wonder why the HEB has not issued any notices or press statements to the public and panthal operators," Rayer said in a statement to Malaysiakini.
"The HEB must at all times observe integrity when serving the Indian community during such religious festivals and this meeting should be held without fail. "It is mind-boggling as to why the HEB is keeping (silent). Could it be because of (problems it has faced in) leasing land to private businesses in Butterworth?"
‘Explain lease arrangement’
Early this month, about 30 Hindu devotees had staged a protest at the Sree Gangatharan Shiva Peruman Temple in Butterworth, over two private business allegedly encroaching on temple land.The HEB clarified that it owns the land, and that the temple management had been informed about the lease arrangement.
However, Rayer questioned if the land had been leased based on an open tender system as HEB had failed to clarify this point.
"It is also crucial that the HEB calls for the meeting with the respective parties to show good governance and (maintain its) the good name," he said.The HEB was further urged to disclose the process of appointing commissioners and the remuneration provided to them and the administrative staff.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/186279
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