In Ben Hur the movie, the battle of the chariots is a race to kill.
In Betelham (sister city to Jerusubang), it’s a matter of the DAP state government racing its RM3 million prosperity chariot against the 120-year old Lord Muruga chariot that has traditionally made its way from Little India to the waterfall Hindu temple on Thaipusam.
Yup, the ultrakiasu DAP state is pitting its 1.6-tonne, golden chariot against the old silver one of the Nagarattaar Chettiyaars that has faithfully trundled along over the last century to mark the festival in Penang.
DAP’s imprimatur for the new, 14-foot tall vehicle means bigger, better, faster and more furious. So expect the colour Gilded Gold to leave Faded Silver in its dust when the two rivals race pass the finish line at midnight — for details on the chariot race, see Athi Shankar’s story today in Malaysia Outlook.
Additional note: The silver chariot stops at the waterfall temple. Let’s see how the gold chariot plans to reach the hilltop, if it can. Remember … The DAP aims to be one up.
DAP perennially playing religious politics
It is in the DAP’s kiasu nature to always challenge the status quo so that they get to be No.1. Here they want to upstage the Hindus even though the DAP party leadership is actually spearheaded by evangelistas.
Same as their show of more Muslim-than-born Muslims through Hannah Yeoh’s Occupy Masjid campaigns, Lim Guan Eng’s buka puasa Facebook photo ops and Ong Kian Ming’s jaguh hashtag #sahur on Twitter while Inshallah-ing away, despite that they’re evangelical Christians and not followers of Islam.
Malaysia Outlook journo Athi Shankar characterizes the present attempt by DAP to muscle in on Thaipusam as “a venomous effort”. Said Athi: “It’s like prostituting a Hindu festival for political mileage”.
Furthermore according to Athi, recent dialogue sessions conducted by a prominent Hindu organization revealed that Penang Indians have not benefited much from the almost decade-long DAP rule which they felt to be a “government with the Chinese, by the Chinese and for the Chinese”.
Racist, racist, racist and religious bigots too
Christians BAPTIZE babies and converts to induct them into the faith. We see too the evangelical party now trying to DAPTIZE the other religions because, frankly, the DAP zealot leaders are just pure control freaks.
P. Dramasamy, the Penang Deputy Chief Minister II who is chairman of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board that commissioned the new golden chariot, is indirectly permitting the DAP to get a handle on Hindu religious affairs via the Thaipusam oneupmanship.
This politics of religion is as bad as the nazir-nazir penyokong DAP that threw open mosque and surau doors for the DAP evangelical hordes to enter and occuoy.
“But the naive and ignorant Tamil Hindus will continue to support DAP because they seem [to] can’t get over the feeling of having been ‘betrayed’ by BN and MIC. These naïve and ignorant Indians would be ever willing to be ‘toilet papers’ for DAP Chinese, who will continue to rule the roost in the island-state based on a racist agenda,” added the Penang-based writer Athi Shankar.
Qute fittingly, the Chinese lunar calendar is about to usher in the Year of the Rooster. No doubt DAP cocks of the walk will continue to strut, preen and crow to signal their religious virtue but they should beware the chickens coming home to roost. Their day of reckoning will come soon.
Helen Ang 
Petrol up by 20sen, USD to RM 4.5002 today, kembong fish costs RM10-12 per kilo, price of goods are escalating without control and you are still harping on DAP…..are you getting your priorities right?? What makes you think i am gonna worry about DAP more than the relevant and matters that effects me everyday?/ Or are you writing this DAP and that DAP just to fool your readers??
Dear Aunty Helen,
re: Here they want to upstage the Hindus even though the DAP party leadership is actually spearheaded by evangelistas.
They did the same to the Muslims supported by PAN, PKR and now Mahathir’s party. In Perjanjian Kerjasama Pakatan Harapan – PPBM, they try to fool the Muslims by promising to uphold the Federal Constitution and the Article 3 but at the same time cheat us behind our back.
But since the agreement says, “Islam sebagai agama bagi Persekutuan dan agama-agama lain boleh diamalkan dengan bebas, aman dan damai di negara ini sejajar dengan Perkara 3”, the people must understand that DAP, PKR, PAN and PPBM only vow to uphold their edited version of the Article 3(1) and not the one that is written in our Federal Constitution. I wrote two posts about this in my blog:
https://ahmadalikarim.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/perjanjian-dap-pkr-pan-ppbm-untuk-meminda-perkara-31/
https://ahmadalikarim.wordpress.com/2017/01/05/lagi-usaha-parti-pembangkang-menipu-umat-islam/
The first was reposted on Malaysia Today on the third of January.
What Hindus must make sure is whether the DAP golden chariot is packing The Vel or Spear of Longinus.
BTW i would like to ask the Penang Hindus here some eye opening questions. The usual practice everywhere in the world is whenever the presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, kings or chiefs met their untimely ends, physically or politically, the deputy will take over, at least until the term is up. So why are you all being so quiet like mice when your DCM(I) is being leapfrogged by Mr. Chan? You all not good enough to rule is it? Not yellow enough? Only worth as a cart puller? You all do not have the numbers or money and sad to say, never will. This is the ONLY instance that you all can have a Hindu at the top of the hill even for a little while (for 1 years or less also your cina overlord cant give u face). Better voice out now before tokong goes away or do a crowdfund for Ramasamy to get his skin bleached. Multiracial party my ass! Please do not be satisfied by getting the parking space for thaipusam and shooting each other over it. Waste of good bullets.
Same goes to Melayu Penang, jangan sampai kena berkhemah kat tepi pantai macam Melayu Singapore.
LGE breaking fast and Hannah Yeoh’s donning the headscarfe. These are very much like true christians as Chirst did fast and his mother Mary never venture out without the head gears. Both evangelists must be congratulated for trying to revive the aunthenthic teachings of Christ.
So MIC did not ‘prostitute’ anything when it built those giant statutes in Batu Caves? Of course not. For you only the DAP is the bad boy! Grow up! UMNO has been pushing Islam for votes since 1947!
So its okay for a bunch of chettiars (most of whom are non-citizens) to collect money on Thaipusam Day and use it without disclosure. Is it okay for foreigners to collect money in Malaysia? How much goes to charity? The ‘golden chariot’ is not a DAP thing. It is the Hindu Endowment Board (which gives out hundreds of thousands of ringgit to poor students – Hindu and non Hindu) that has sponsored it. You can complain but at least get it right.
The Hindu Endowment Board is headed by P. Ramasamy, the DAP deputy sec-gen.
Mahathir lidah keling
Memangnyer suka KELINGtong…
hahaha
Greetings to all! I am not in the habit of writing to the press on issues that I disagree, but this one has crossed that line. I am not into politics and I haven’t voted for the opposition yet, so no one should rush and accuse me of any political expediency. Now, I have been a regular worshipper in temples run by the Chettiyar community and to other temples as well. I am thankful for their administering of the places of worship. They are great devotees who have done a lot for the religion and I have deep respect for them. Now comes this issue of the golden chariot and with it, a hornet’s nest has been disturbed.
Now, when was there no divide and rule – “Caste”, not present?
Are these persons who profuse otherwise really so warped up in their own reality as to not only deny it but denigrate, viciously and personally others who stand up to it? IT has always been there, not seen in the open, but lurking just beneath the surface. The essence of this issue is neither politics nor economics, but one of basic self respect; of certain segments of people who have always been sidelined because of their ‘lower caste’ status. Is Athi Shankar genuinely unaware of the discriminatory practices in the Indian society or precisely, in our temples or more to the point, in the Chettiyar temples? Now, anyone who has been to these temples regularly, know of such discriminatory practices. Can anyone truthfully deny these? Attacking people like Prof. Ramasamy doesn’t serve justice to the issue. The 3 million cost has been mentioned. And yes, it could have been used for other purposes. In the same vein, wouldn’t it be proper to enquire about all the money that would have been collected in all the Thaipusam chariot processions all over our country these past 100 years or so?? Can anyone comprehend the actual amount that would have been collected? Can anyone answer? And can anyone show any records as to where all that money went? And why hasn’t anyone raised this issue before? Is it because of vested interests? Now, I do not know the motive of those who attack Prof. Ramasamy on this issue, but to me and others like me, he is our Deputy Chief Minister, a position where due respect has to be given, – more so when he’s the only Indian DCM in our country. Now, if the incident is true, when you don’t show due respect to our DCM, (irrespective of the political divide), when he visits your temple, then that is deemed an affront to the whole community. Now, while having witnessed many an affront to temple goers and having taken it with a pinch of salt, I do not want to sit back and let this go unanswered. If he isn’t good enough to be given due respect, than who is? NO! Enough is enough! This is 2017! If anyone does not want to leave their age old practices of showing superiority over others just because of their caste, then I say, ” Let them be. But let me and others like me, be too! As for me, I have decided not to step into temples that discriminate based on a person’s birth. There are other temples where all are treated equally.
Now, to all those who look into this from the outside, appreciate if you could get some perspective of the real issues, before jumping onto the bandwagon, jumble up the issue and shooting from the hip.
And finally, is the golden chariot necessary and worth the price? Well, to me and others like me, it certainly is, even if there’s an extra zero there beside the 3.
Why is my reply to Mr Athi Shankar’s article still awaiting moderation after so many days? Sincerely awaiting its publication, lest you be branded of having ulterior motives in not to. Thank you.
Once again.. religion + politics + racism = anarchy + hell! WHO IS PLAYING WITH FIRE?
Why must politicians adamantly play this dangerous game of politics & religion? POLITICS CORRUPT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS!