Johor Baru: Johor tourism, environment, heritage and culture committee chairman K Raven Kumar announced that a special complex for the Indian community to perform final rites will be relocated from Tanjung Langsat to Teluk Jawa. He stated that the necessary approvals for the 0.66ha site, which belongs to the state government, will be processed within the next two months. The old location in Tanjung Langsat was deemed unsuitable for security reasons, prompting the decision to find a new site near Johor Baru.
On Friday (Sept 1), Raven Kumar led a group of local leaders to tour the new site in Teluk Jawa. He dismissed suggestions that the relocation was an election ploy, as ground-breaking for the RM1.3mil complex in Tanjung Langsat was done before the previous general election. He emphasized that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was serious about addressing the issues faced by the Indian community.
Raven Kumar revealed that the project would proceed to the construction phase without a ground-breaking ceremony. Temporary operations at the new location could begin in a few months while the permanent building is being constructed. Responding to allegations that local community leaders were given the runaround during the search for the new site, Raven Kumar stressed that securing the Teluk Jawa location was a team effort.
A recent gathering of Indian-based NGOs and temples called on the Johor government and Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) to expedite the completion of the RM1.3mil complex in Tanjung Langsat. They highlighted that the lack of such a facility was a long-standing problem faced by the community, forcing families to perform final rites beside the road along Pantai Lido, which they found embarrassing.
There were claims that the stalled complex was among the important issues for both the Pulai parliamentary constituency and the Indian community in Johor Baru, Pasir Gudang, Tebrau, and Iskandar Puteri. In the upcoming Pulai by-election, Raven Kumar, who is also the national MIC Youth chief, stated that the party was making efforts to connect with voters through small gatherings and listening to their issues.
The Pulai parliamentary constituency has 166,653 registered voters, with 12.31% (20,508) being Indian. Similarly, the Simpang Jeram state seat has 40,014 registered voters, with the Indian community comprising 2.53% (1,027) of the total. Both seats were vacated following the death of their elected representative Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23. The polling day on Sept 9 will witness three-cornered fights involving incumbents from Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, and several Independent candidates.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
