PENANG WANTS TO HOLD PROCESSION
Without the chariot procession, the festival will have no meaning, says deputy CM II
THE Penang government is defying the federal government’s directive against having chariot processions during the celebration on Jan 18.
Speaking at a press conference at his office in Komtar, deputy Chief Minister II Professor Dr P. Ramasamy urged National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique to rescind her ‘no chariot procession’ directive.
He said without the chariot procession, the religious festival would have no meaning.
“Come what may, we (the Penang Hindu Endownment Board — PHEB), will proceed with the golden chariot with strict observance of the standard operating procedures (SOP).
“The PHEB will have no choice but to defy the federal directive,” he said.
It was reported yesterday that while the government had decided to give the green light for the Thaipusam celebration to go ahead, the silver chariot procession was still a no-go.
Halimah had told the Dewan Rakyat in response to Steven Choong (Tebrau-Independent) who had asked whether the ministry had prepared a specific SOP for Chinese New Year temple visits and for the Chingay procession.
“For Thaipusam, we also had applications for the silver chariot processions but it was disallowed due to the emergence of the new variant,” she was quoted as saying, adding that this decision could be overturned by higher decision-making bodies within the National Security Council (NSC).
Halimah had also told V. Sivakumar (Batu Gajah-PH) that the ministry had already prepared the SOP related to the festivals and had called 10 religious leaders from Selangor, Perak, Kedah,Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor for an engagement session with the NSC and the Health Ministry on Dec 2.
“I am shocked that the minister would make such a categorical statement in denying the chariot procession, which is the principal aspect of Thaipusam.
“Without the chariot procession, Thaipusam has no significance or meaning.
“It is the most conspicuous aspect of Thaipusam in honouring Lord Murugan.
“It is not that we are in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic like earlier this year. The vast majority of Malaysians have received their vaccinations. At present, they are getting their booster shots.
“Most of the states are in the Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan (NRP). To a great extent, normalcy has returned to the country as witnessed by inter-state travel and having functions and gatherings. If elections can be held, what is wrong in having a chariot procession?”
PHEB executive director Datuk M. Ramachandran, who attended the Dec 2 meeting, said there was no mention by any representatives to cancel the chariot procession.
He said everyone who attended the meeting was in favour of the chariot procession, with discussions being held to fine-tune the SOP.
An opposition member of parliament also called for the ban on festive parades to be lifted.
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) submitted an emergency motion to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun’s office under Standing Orders 18(1) to allow the House to debate on the ban.
Describing the processions as an important part of Thaipusam and Chingay, Rayer also called on the government to review the standard operating procedures (SOP) prohibiting crowd gatherings.
Since the decision was announced, Rayer said he had received complaints from various parties who expressed unhappiness with the government’s move.
“If the Melaka and Sarawak state polls were allowed to take place when 95 per cent of adults in Malaysia have been vaccinated, why the ban (on the processions)?
“I ask the Health and National Unity ministries to re-look this matter as these are issues that affect the harmony of the country,” he said.