Although the issue drew strong negative reactions from the Indian community nationwide, Saravanan said he was addressing the matter, including efforts to reassure voters in Ayer Kuning.
“So far, I’ve seen no sign or heard of any boycott efforts for the by-election.
“There’s no such thing, because they see me as someone who has consistently defended their rights, including the right to worship. I also believe that the government acted swiftly on this issue.
“The Indian community suspects there may be hidden hands at play – otherwise, why would such an incident suddenly occur when we’ve lived in harmony for over 60 years?” he told FMT in an interview.
The Tapah MP also said that sensitive issues concerning the 3Rs of race, religion, and royalty were unlikely to gain traction in his constituency, as its residents were highly tolerant.
“If 3R sentiments were an issue in Tapah, neither I nor MCA would have won, given that Tapah has a Malay-majority electorate,” he said, referring to the Chenderiang state seat held by MCA’s Choong Shin Heng and the Tapah parliamentary seat won by MIC in the 15th general election.
Last month, Putrajaya resolved the relocation of the 130-year-old Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple, which was situated on land owned by textile supplier Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd along Jalan Munshi Abdullah. The move was to make way for the construction of the Madani Mosque.
On March 25, federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa announced that the temple would be relocated 50m from its current location.
The temple committee agreed to relocate to a new 4,000 sq ft site – the same size as the original temple.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed hope that the people would understand the government’s decision to resolve the issue peacefully and respectfully, in line with Malaysia’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious society.
On whether Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate KS Bawani would split the Indian vote in Ayer Kuning, Saravanan said he did not believe that PSM posed a serious challenge.
“In the last general election, Bawani received just over 500 votes. She may gain a few more this time, but the chances of her winning are extremely slim. I believe voters will ultimately make their decision based on the party, not the individual candidate,” he said.