PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, July 1, 2007: The Malaysia Hindu Sangam held its 30th Annual General Meeting at the Plantation House, Petaling Jaya, on July 1, 2007. The meeting was officially opened by Y.B. Dato Seri (Dr.) S. Samy Vellu, the Minister of Works and the President of the Malaysian Indian Congress, in his capacity as Patron of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam. About 800 delegates attended the AGM.
Datuk A. Vaithilingam, the President of Malaysia Hindu Sangam, in his Presidential address appealed to the Prime Minister and inspector General of Police to be more considerate and sympathetic when dealing with non-Muslims on religious issues. He said that the police force should take unbiased action when reports are made against religious departments, citing the dispute over the death of Chandran Dharmadass, who was buried as a Muslim despite his family maintaining that he professed and practiced Hinduism as his religion. The President also appealed to the Judiciary not to refer all cases to the Syariah Courts, especially when a non-Muslim was involved in the dispute, when Articles 8 and 11 of the Federal Constitution guarantee the equal protection of the law and religious freedom for all persons in Malaysia.
The delegates in the AGM unanimously passed a resolution asking the government to have a department to cater for the needs and welfare of the non-Muslim community. The meeting also call for pre-marriage courses to be made company to all Hindu couples before marriage. The Sangam called on all Hindu leaders of NGOs and temples to seriously consider having one-day religious course for Hindu children between the ages of 10 and 12 during the school vacations.