Speech by Lim Guan Eng at the "Justice for Sri Lankan Tamils" Ceramah in MPSP padang in Butterworth, Penang on Saturday, 21^st April 2012: 

PPSB and PPC should fully apologise to the Hindu community for the disrespect and religious sacrilege 

We gather here to condemn the oppression of Sri Lankan Tamils and oppose the ethnic cleansing of Tamils by the Sri Lankan government. Whilst we seek justice in the interests of humanity for Sri Lankan Tamils, we must also seek justice for the freedom of religion of our local Hindu population.

PPSB and PPC should fully apologise to the Hindu community for the disrespect and religious sacrilege in the demoliton of the Hindu temple in their premise without notice and pay full compensation by giving land and funds for its rebuilding. The 50 year old temple/shrine used by Penang port workers was located in the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal (BCT) within the property of PPSB was demolished on Friday.

Both PPC Chair Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek and PPSB Chairman Dato Seri Dr. Hilmi Bin Hj. Yahaya should immediately meet and explain to the port workers and the Hindu community why they permitted this barbaric act to occur. Worse, no notice was given to the workers of the impending demolition.

The Penang state government is shocked by such demolition and strongly condemns this grave injury to the fabric of freedom of religion and insult to the Hindu community. I shall be visiting the site tomorrow with YB Professor P Ramasamy to have a first hand look at the site.

*Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister