PRESIDENT’S SPEECH DELIVERED AT THE 34TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MALAYSIA HINDU SANGAM HELD AT RASAH SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN TEMPLE HALL, JALAN RASAH, SEREMBAN ON 12TH JUNE 2011.

Thiruchitrambalam.

Dear Yang Berhormat Dato M.Saravanan, Deputy Minister, Federal Territories and Urban Well-being and Vice-President of MIC, Special Guests, Temple Committees, Members, Media representatives, brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome to the 34th Annual General Meeting of Malaysia Hindu Sangam.

Malaysia Hindu Sangam is 46 years old. Despite having had to face several challenges in its 46-year history, we must take pride that Sangam has grown into a strong organization. In addition, Malaysia Hindu Sangam is the largest representative body of all Hindus in the country today.

About 83% of Malaysian Indians are Hindus. However, a large number of them have not fully learned and understood Hinduism. Sangam’s activities and programmes are geared towards providing at least basic knowledge in Hinduism to our Malaysian Hindus. It is also important that this knowledge is simplified so that it can be meaningfully applied in their daily lives so that our community can become virtuous and dignified. We will also be able to provide leadership skills and guidance to our future generation.

Background

Religion – mainly, Hinduism – occupied a central space and offered solace of a better life for the tens of thousands of migrant workers from India who toiled in the plantations, railroads and ports during the British colonial rule in the 19th and 20th century Malaya. Naturally, Hindu temples and shrines sprouted in areas where these workers lived, mostly in a disorderly fashion. They did not have religious guidance and there was no regulation.

The situation started changing in the 80s and 90s when many plantations were developed and the Indian workers had to leave for better prospects in towns and cities. The temples and shrines they had constructed, however, remained in place, patronized only by a small number of devotees. At the same time, new temples were constructed in the new areas where these people went. The actual number of Hindu places of worship (temples, shrines etc) in Malaysia was not established although there were varying figures, quoted by various parties. The figures quoted included temples left behind by many Hindus who left the plantations and small interior towns. Many of these temples are still visited by a skeletal number of devotees and are managed haphazardly, due to severe lack of funds and qualified persons.