On July 22, the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kulai, Johor, commenced its yearly thiruvizha festivities. The Kulai MP, Teo Nie Ching, had also taken part in the Hindu religious festivity to award the temple committee with the total sum of RM25,000 as financial aid for the temple construction expenses. The temple has been part of the neighbouring Hindu community for nearly 50 years. It was first established on the nearby estate in the 1950s for the use of the majority Plantation Tamil Hindus. Later in the 1960s, the temple was built to completion and subsequently relocated to Kulai Bandar Putra, Rajawali 13, in 2014.
MP Teo also stated that the good faith and unity amongst the people of the nation are the true wealth of Malaysia.
The Kulai MP had expressed that she hopes the financial aid will be of great use to the temple reconstruction and will also ease the burden on the temple committee. She also expressed her congratulations to the temple committee, which had planned the festival with impeccable organisation and responsibility. MP Teo also stated that the good faith and unity amongst the people of the nation are the true wealth of Malaysia.
The government has allocated a certain amount of funds for the development of various religious institutes, and many religious communities can apply for such funds.Temples that are registered under the Kulai Parliament can apply for financial aid from the Kulai Parliament’s Community Service Centre.
As Malaysia is a multifaith and multiethnic nation, the government has taken it upon itself to give appropriate representation to all of them. Temples have been seen as not just important sights for social and cultural preservation but also a locus where political and economic ties can be strengthened. The government had seen these religious institutions as important establishments for them to foster a deeper relationship with the various religious communities.
Source: Thisaigal
