7th Dec 2010 Press Conference
Click on the link for the Survey Form
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0Bw4JQP_5rwT0NjhhOTViNDUtYTkwYi00NjE4LThkMTAtNDQwY2E1YjAzZTBm&hl=enPublished: tuesday December 7, 2010
Nationwide survey on Hindu temples
KUALA LUMPUR: The task Force on Hindu Places of Worship is carrying out nationwide survey aimed at setting up a data base on Hindu temples.
The survey is led by non-profit organisation, MyNadi, in collaboration with Malaysia Hindu Council, Malaysia Hindudharma Mamandram and Sri Maha Mariammam Temple Devesthanam. "This survey is important as there is still no database on the number of Hindu temples in the counry.
"It is estimated that there are thousands of Hindu temples nationawide, but how many are there, we are unsure," MyNadi Foundation chairman Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Tan Sri Sinnadurai told a news conference after opening the foundations's Kuala Lumpur and service center at Brickfields here, Tuesday.
He added that the survey was also important in the efforts to tackle issues related to Hindu temples especially regarding land ownerships and funding.
Currently, there are four categories of Hindu temple, namely those owned by registered organisation and the have their own land, owned by registered organisation but without their own land, family-run temples, and shrines located in random places such as by the roadsides or under the trees.
Jeyaindran said information including the history, management committee, special features, religious activities carried out, land status and future plans would be collected through the survey. He added that besides survey conducted by field officers, survey forms would also be sent out to temples.
'We are also getting the local NGOs to help us locate these temples in their localities and to conduct this survey," he said, adding that the project wa expected to be completed in 12 months while a preliminary report was expected to be tabled in six months.
He hoped that the finding of the survey could be published as guildelines for future set up and management of Hindu temples in the country. - Bernama
