Malaysia demolishes Hindu shrine

KUALA LUMPUR: A 15-year-old Hindu shrine has been demolished by the city authorities in Kuala Lumpur even after an order by the Territories ministry banning the destruction of any temple without allocating alternate site.

The latest demolition of a shrine in Taman Desa, Seputeh, on Tuesday has raged anger among the Hindu community, who are now asking questions to explain the demolition act.

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) authorities had apparently issued a notice about the action to be taken in October and pasted the message on the temple’s wall, reports added. The notice was not handed over to the shrine authorities.

Leading ethnic Indian leader and President of the Malaysian Indian Congress, Samy Vellu, has warned of personally taking up the matter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Malaysia has a 8% ethnic Indian population a majority of whom are Tamil Hindus.