SELANGOR, MALAYSIA, November 26, 2013 (The Star): The Selangor government has decided to only award financial assistance to Hindu temples registered with the Malaysian Hindu Sangam. In announcing the decision, Selangor executive councillor for poverty and estate affairs V. Ganabatirau said the Negri Sembilan, Perak and Malacca state governments had already implemented this. “Hindu Sangam is the umbrella body to oversee the situation and work together with the temples. We have set up a committee to monitor the temples and Hindu Sangam will play an active role in it,” he said.
Malaysian Hindu Sangam president Datuk R.S. Mohan Shan said currently only 600 temples in the state were registered with the organisation. Unofficial statistics, however, reveal some 2,500 temples in Selangor. Both Ganabatirau and Mohan were at the 2013 Selangor Hindu Temples forum in Shah Alam, attended by some 400 temple committee members and Indian community leaders.
In his speech, Mohan said the temple should play a big role in recognizing communities around the temple. “Temple funds should be allocated for the teaching of human values and religious classes. The poor should be identified and help should be extended to them.