COMMENT BY PROF DR P.RAMASAMY,
INTERIM COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, URIMAI PARTY
A gazetted holiday for Thaipusam will enhance the historic image of Kedah
The Hindu religious festival of Deepavali is a national public holiday. Other than Deepavali, Thaipusam is public holiday in a few states in the Peninsula.
Kedah is one state where Thaipusam might be declared as an occasional holiday. Recently, Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor decided that January 25, 2024, will be an occasional holiday.
Earlier, whether Thaipusam was declared a public holiday in the state will depend on the mood of the state government.
Few years back, it was the PAS state government that refused to consider Thaipusam as a public holiday in the state.
Things are different now.
Given the shift of Indian support to PN in the last state elections, there might be change of heart on the part of the PAS state government.
It was in this context, Sanusi decided to declare Thaipusam as an occasional holiday for the Hindus in the state.
The next thing is for Sanusi to gazatte Thaipusam as a public holiday. No more the arbitrary public holiday.
Thaipusam is no ordinary Hindu festival, millions gather around the temples of Lord Muruga in the country. Batu Caves, Selangor, Penang, Ipoh, Perak and other places to celebrate the religious occasion of Thaipusam.
Declaration of a gazetted public holiday would enhance the reputation of Kedah that had flourishing Malay Kingdom in the past.
Kedah was the seat of the Sri Vijayan Kingdom before the arrival of the Cholas about one thousand years ago.
