行动党怡保西区庆祝屠妖节（新闻稿译本）

怡保西区行动党为了庆祝屠妖节庆典，特地在位于怡保昆仑泽罗的斯里苏巴马尼雅兴都庙旁，设立了一个摊格为游人和膜拜者提供免费饮料。参与上述摊格义务工作的志愿人员来自不同宗教的各族人士，参与工作者包括行动党怡保西区国会议员M.古拉，怡保西区行动队主席梁顺发，顾问黄润松和秘书张志坚。

行动党怡保西区国会议员M.古拉在致词时说，屠妖节是兴都教徒的一个重要节日，单单在怡保就预计有超过50万名信徒和游客会到斯里苏巴马尼雅庙膜拜或参观。根据往年的记录，古拉估计将会有超过500队兴都教的信徒坑着巨大沉重的“卡瓦迪”（一种兴都教的大型神龛）游行至上述庙宇参拜，同时也会有超过2万名善信将进行剃度仪式还愿。

古拉在其演词中指出，我国是一个多元种族，多元宗教和多元语言的国家。有赖于各族人民的谅解和包容，才能促成我国今天和谐的多元种族社会。古拉说趁着今天这个神圣的日子，他呼吁联邦政府马上妥善的解决两个兴都教徒所面对的重要问题。其一就是马上把屠妖节宣布为全国的公共假期，因为屠妖节是印度人新年以外的最重大节日，兴都教徒无论在任何情形之下都会抽出时间到庙宇参拜，因此屠妖节当天必须被列为全国的公共假期。

古拉说第二个问题就是联邦政府必须尽快解决教科书“连环扣”所带来的问题，如果让该教科书继续成为中五学生的课本将会进一步伤害印裔同胞的感受。古拉提醒联邦政府以及教育部，书内的词汇如“贱民”等等对印裔同胞是极具悔辱性的，而且“连环扣”的内容也不尽不实，充满着遭扭曲并与事实不符的词句。

教育部针对上述事件所采取的拖延伎俩，更令到饱受伤害的印裔同胞感觉火上加油，虽然国大党已经派遣一个领袖团向副教育部长进行交涉，可惜事件的解决还是遥遥无期。古拉认为虽然国阵在2008年的大选流失了大量的印裔选票，但国阵高层领袖的心态却不曾改变丝毫，依然目中无人的无视人民的感受。

M.古拉
行动党怡保西区国会议员

Speech at DAP "Thaneer Pantal" Thaipusm Stall in ipoh on 20thJanuary2011

Thaipusam falls in the "thai" calendar of the Hindus and is celebrated at a very grand scale by Hindus all over Malaysia.

In Ipoh over 500,000 people and tourists are expected to coverage at the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh. Over 500 kavadi bearers will be seen approaching the temple. Also over 20,000 devotees will be shaving their heads.

Every year without fail, DAP Ipoh Barat puts up a "taneer pandal" (a stall to provide drinks for devotees) near the main temple.
The stall is operated by a group of volunteers and they comprise people of all faiths. This thus enriches the bond among the multi racial facet present in our country.

Malaysia is a multi racial, multi religious and multi lingual country. It’s the tolerance and mutual understanding among the various races which has built a strong bonding among the races.

On this auspicious day, I call on the Federal Government to immediately attend to two pressing matters of the community.
Firstly, it should declare Thaipusam a public holiday.

Thaipusam is the most important event after Deepavali. All Hindus without fail will make it a point to visit temples and offer prayers. Thaipusam should therefore be declared a national holiday in Malaysia.

Secondly, the federal government must be decisive and swift in resolving the Interlok controversy. Failure to withdraw the interlock novel as a literature book for form 5 students is puzzling.

The word "pariah" used in the novel is derogatory, demeaning and hurting. In fact, factual and historical facts had been twisted and written without basis.

The Indian community is hurt. To make matters worse the Education Ministry is dragging its feet on this issue. MIC has sent a panel of leaders to meet the Deputy Education Minister Dato Puad but nothing meaningful has materialized.

Obviously, the loss of sizeable chunk of Indians votes in the 2008 General Elections has not changed the thinking of the BN masters.