KUALA LUMPUR – Menteri Besar of Kedah, Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor said that he is not a racist as alleged.
In addition, he said that he treated every races in the state equally, including the Indians in Kedah.
“On the Thaipusam holiday issue, it is not a public holiday. It is an event holiday where it is not something permanent like the Deepavali, Hari Raya and the Thaipusam celebration was not given holiday in Kedah prior to this. Why didn’t anyone make any noise back then?
“In 2021, while were in the MCO, we couldn’t celebrate, we couldn’t carry the kavadi. Even going to the temple was being limited. There were SOP. Thus, granting a holiday would be meaningless,” he said during an exclusive interview with Owh!MG produced by MalaysiaGazette yesterday.
On the action of the Alor Setar City Council (MBAS), which demolished the Sri Raja Muniswarar Temple at Taman Bersatu, Kuala Kedah recently, Muhammad Sanusi said that all structures and building in Kedah require approval.
Thus, houses of worship such as the temples and surau are not exempted from the rule.
Therefore, it is unfair to call it a discrimination against the Indians in Kedah when the local authority demolished the Hindu temple which did not get approval in the first place.
“A surau in Sungai Petani was also demolished as it did not get approval. Thus, other structures, including the temple are also subjected to the same regulation.
“I am here to uphold the law. I cannot be angry with the local authorities who are carrying out their duty. I cannot entertain those who are not in line with the law,” he said.
Commenting further, the Kedah MB also said that he is facing multiple attacks and slanders, alleging that he is a racist. Nevertheless, he continues to carry out his duties fairly to the non-Malays in the state.
“During the Deepavali celebration for instance, I gave an allocation of RM100,000. I also granted the 1.1 acre PKNK land for a Tamil school in Sungai Ular for free. They had to pay RM163,000 before this.
“We also approved the construction of a Hindu temple in Padang Serai, and they made an application for that in an organised manner. If I am a racist, I would not approve the application,” he said. –MalaysiaGazette
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