Metro

Wednesday July 23, 2008

Help poor students, temples urged


HINDU temple committees have been urged to channel part of the public donations they received to help poor students.

Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy said many poor Indian parents had approached him for financial help so that their children could further their studies.

“Temples can offer scholarships to poor Hindu students to help them achieve their dream and come out from poverty upon getting their degrees,” he said.

Dr Ramasamy, who is Prai state assemblyman and Batu Kawan MP, said temple committees should also help pay the students' fees and other expenses so that they would not be burdened with financial problems while studying.

He was speaking to reporters during the presentation of financial aid to 15 university undergraduates at Sri Muniswarar Temple, Jalan Baru, Prai, near Butterworth recently.

The temple is giving out RM1,000 to each student annually until they complete their degree programmes.

Dr Ramasamy, who is also State Education Committee chairman, commended the temple committee and its president Datuk Dr K. Arunasalam for their help.

He urged other temple committees to emulate Sri Muniswarar Temple’s move and embark on similar programmes to help poor Hindu students.

He advised the students to utilise the cash aid wisely and urged parents to give priority to their children’s education and save money so that they did not have to depend on others when their children wanted to go to universities.

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