Commenting on the spate of desecration cases in Penang of late, he said while temples raised enough funds to put up closed circuit television cameras and hire watchmen, police should also keep watch.

“We all know that big temples are often frequented by devotees, so big temples can be classified as low risk.

“Now, if you notice the pattern of cases lately, all of these temples are small ones,” Subramaniam told reporters here today.

Subramaniam thanked police for heeding the call to monitor temples and the formation of a task force to look into the matter.

“Police must also charge these defilers in court and, hopefully, a deterrent sentence will keep these lowlifes away.

“Speculations by the public will only stop when police catch the culprits.”

Subramaniam spoke to reporters at the Sri Muneeswarar Temple near the Udini underpass in Gelugor today.

This temple was broken into and three of its statues were smashed last week.

Subramaniam, together with MIC Central Working Committee member J Dhinagaran, examined the damaged bits of the temple, and later held a prayer to ward of future attacks at Hindu temples in the state.

Meanwhile, Subramaniam said he had ordered the MIC Youth to start patrolling small and obscure Hindu temples to prevent cases of temple defilement.

”The MIC Youth in the respective constituencies will keep watch at these temples, as an added layer of surveillance.”