Compiled by BEH YUEN HUI, MAHADHIR MONIHULDIN and R. ARAVINTHAN
THE Hindu community expressed relief after a massive fire near the Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple in Sungai Petani, Kedah caused only minor damage to the temple, Makkal Osai reported.
The fire reportedly began at a row of shops adjacent to the temple’s main sanctum on the evening of Christmase eve, and was brought under control after four hours by firemen and 14 fire engines.
However, the fire flared up again the next day and it was another five-hour effort by firefighters that saved the temple and surrounding shops. Luckily, no one was reported injured or killed in the fire.
Online video footage caused the community to worry over the fate of the important temple, which is one of the major places where Thaipusam is celebrated with a procession. (Thaipusam will be celebrated less than a month from now on Jan 25.)
> The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) has been likened to an unwanted political football following its transfer to a different ministry once again, Makkal Osai also reported.
Mitra began as the Cabinet Committee on Indian Participation in Government Programmes and Projects (CCIC) in 2008, birthed four different units in 2014 under the Cabinet, became Sedic in 2017 combining the four units, was rebranded as Mitra under the National Unity Ministry in 2018, and then was placed under the Prime Minister’s Department in September 2022.
It has once again been moved to the National Unity Ministry following the recent Cabinet reshuffle.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
