VOICE FROM MALAYSIA on DESTRUCTION OF HINDU TEMPLES

1. Malaysian Political Scientist Speaks Out about the Destruction of Hindu Temples

malaysiahinduvoice@gmail.com

MALAYSIA, July 3, 2006: In this news piece sent by the Malaysian Hindu Voice, Dr. Farish A. Noor, a Malaysian political scientist and human rights activist, speaks out against the recent demolition of Hindu temples in Malaysia. He notes that because of globalization the Hindu community is connected with others worldwide and, as a result, Hindu organizations in Europe and other parts of the world have appealed to the Malaysian government and the prime minister to do something to stop the march of the bulldozers. Dr. Noor declares, "The bottom line is that the Hindu temples of Malaysia are and have always been part of the Malaysian cultural landscape. Hinduism is one of the Malaysian faiths. It has been rooted in the culture of Southeast Asia for more than 2,000 years. If anything, its long historical embeddedness shows that it deserves more than a token mention in the history books. Most importantly it has to be remembered that in the constitution of the Malaysian nation and its identity, Hinduism is not something ulterior, alien or foreign to the country. The Hindu temples of Malaysia are part of the things that make Malaysia what it is. For that reason Malaysians of all races and religions should decry the demolition of these buildings as destruction of their culture. Those temples are not from Mars or another world: they are Malaysian, down to their foundations."