Hindu board dismisses allegations of financial impropriety against Malay temple

Georgetown (Malaysia), Aug.27 (ANI): The Hindu Endowment Board in Penang has dismissed allegations of impropriety over money raised by the Sri Ramar Temple here last year.

Board chairman A. Tana-sekharan said the money collected by the temple at Solok York last year only amounted to RM 66,589.49, after payments and expenses were deducted, and not RM83,000 as claimed by its former committee members.

He said the temple had raised almost RM 110,000 in February last year before the deductions.

"The temple gave us the first RM 60,000 in April and the rest in July. The money is in the temple's account, which is governed by the board," the New Strait Times quoted him as saying at a press conference at the temple yesterday.

Tanasekharan was responding to the temple's former committee members' demand to know what had happened to the RM 83,000 they had given to the board for the temple's consecration ceremony and also to carry out programmes for single mothers and poor students.

He said the amount collected during the fundraiser was smaller and explained that the event was approved by the board to collect donations.

The money was to clear its deficits, which totalled over RM 96,000 as at April 2008. (ANI)