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Allocate land for a Gurdwara,
Malaysia’s PDC urged
WSN Network
KUALA LUMPUR: THE
Sikh community should also be allocated a piece of land in the Bayan
Baru non-Islamic religious and cultural enclave for them to erect a
Gurdwara, said Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo.
“The fundamental purpose for the land allocation was to
enable non-Islamic religious bodies to erect their places of worship
there, and the Buddhists, Christians and Hindus had already done
so.
“It is only apt that the Sikh community also be allocated a
piece of the land in recognition of their contribution to society
and due to the fact that Bayan Baru has a large Sikh population,’’
he said in a press statement.
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Akhand Path
in Malaysia
In Malaysia, many Sikh families
often find the cost incurred on organising an Akhand path
prohibitive as it may range between RM3,000 and RM4,000 but now
Gurdwara Sahib Puchong is offering to conduct the prayers for
RM1,500 for devotees.
For the moment, however, Sikhs
will have to spend only RM1,300. Meanwhile, the gurdwara is also
raising funds for the construction of its new two-storey
building in Bandar Puteri Puchong. The current premises will be
relocated there upon the building’s completion by the end of the
year. The total cost of the building is RM957,000 . So far,
RM700,000 have been raised, thus causing a shortfall of
RM400,000. |
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The Penang Development Corporation general manager Datuk
Rosli Jaafar had recently said at a state dialogue session with the
Bayan Baru residents that the state had never allotted a place in
the enclave for a Gurdwara.
He said as such there was no question of returning the land
to the community and according to records, the Sikh community was
never allotted a plot for its temple.
Rosli was replying to a request by the Gurdwara Sahib Bayan
Baru Association secretary Manjeet Singh to return a 0.4ha piece of
land which he claimed was earmarked for the temple.
Jagdeep Singh added that currently the community was renting
a double-storey terrace house in Bayan Baru and using it as a
Gurdwara but it was too small for the growing Sikh community in the
area.
“I call upon Rosli to allow the construction of the temple on
the part of the enclave which is now being used as a carpark . “I
have proposed this at the Non-Islamic Religious and Cultural Enclave
(RIBI) committee meeting several times that were also attended by
representatives from the PDC,” he said.
14 January 2009
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