According to reports by Tamil dailies, IPF Utama president M V Mathialagan issued the ultimatum to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), demanding that the street name be changed within two weeks, failing which IPF Utama members would take it upon themselves to do it.
Mathialagan said former MIC president Samy Vellu had announced the street’s official change of name in 2008 to honour the late Pandithan, who had founded and presided over the IPF.
He said then Deputy Federal Territories Minister M Saravanan was also present when the announcement was made but that although the IPF had been informed that the name change was gazetted and the sign would be changed, the street continued to be called Jalan Berhala for another eight years.
He said the eight requests by the IPF that action be taken to change the street name had gone unheeded.
Mathialagan regretted that IPF had been weak in demanding its rights despite working hard to ensure victory for Barisan Nasional in every election.
