Malaysian Hindu festival marred by race dispute

Members of the Hindu community are divided over the temple management’s behaviour last year during violent protests involving thousands of ethnic Indians demonstrating against racial discrimination.

As expectations grow that the Government will call early elections by March, the protests and temple row have the potential to divide Indian voters, who, despite making up just 7 per cent of Malaysia’s 26 million population, can sometimes influence marginal constituencies or policy.

Rowdy protests by more than 10,000 members of the community last year were stopped only by police using water cannon, batons and tear gas.

Many ethnic Indians were outraged when Hindu leaders at the Batu Caves complex handed to authorities dozens of protesters who had sought shelter there.

Although no specific group demanded a boycott, domestic media have said a campaign waged by telephone text messages and Internet blogs fuelled the antagonistic sentiment.

“I have seen a smaller number of people this year,” said S Manikavasagam, a spokesman for the Hindu Rights Action Force that organised November’s protest, but which denied having called for a boycott.

“The people have shown their protest against the Government and the temple management by staying away,” Manikavasagam said.

A spokesman for Works Minister Samy Vellu, the senior Indian leader in Malaysia’s ruling coalition, dismissed claims of fewer visitors, saying that temple officials expect one million Hindus to have visited the shrine by the end of Wednesday.