Penang Hindu Endowments Board urged to clarify temple demolition notice

Former Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) commissioner and Urimai secretary-general Satees Muniandy has called upon the board to provide clarification regarding a recent demolition notice issued to a Hindu temple in Batu Kawan by the Seberang Prai City Council. Satees revealed that the temple was among ten places of worship that the PHEB relocated to land owned by the board during his time in the Penang state government.

According to him, the city council has the authority to issue such a notice if the land is illegally occupied or the building stands on private land. However, Satees firmly stated that the temple in question is situated on PHEB land, and consequently, the city council has no reason to issue the notice. He urged the current PHEB management to shed light on the temple's status, including whether ownership of the land has been transferred to another entity since the previous board members resigned in 2023.

Additionally, Satees emphasized that, when dealing with the relocation of Hindu temples, the city council should have sought clarification from the Penang Development Corporation to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the temple's situation. Instead of taking unilateral action, he argued that the city council should have consulted the PHEB on the matter.

The PHEB manages Hindu religious endowments, comprising temple land and property, in the state. The New Straits Times has contacted Seberang Prai City Council mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid for further comment.