KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — PKR MP N. Surendran was kicked out of Parliament today after trying to push through a motion to debate the demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in the city here.

The first-term Padang Serai MP said that Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia did not allow him to debate the motion, which he had submitted yesterday, and insisted that the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple was almost completely demolished, contrary to the Federal Territories’ statement.

“The statement that the temple is not demolished is a complete and utter lie,” Surendran told reporters at the Parliament lobby here today, following his ejection from the Dewan Rakyat.

“This is a Robert Mugabe Parliament... the Speaker abused his powers. The government doesn’t want lawmakers to have a voice in Parliament,” added the Padang Serai MP, referring to Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe.

This is the second time that Surendran has been thrown out of the Dewan Rakyat.

Last September, the PKR vice-president was kicked out after trying to raise a petition by the family of P. Karuna Nithi, who had died in police custody earlier this year.

Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, who was at the same press conference with Surendran, said that the federal government did not respect history and religion by destroying the 101-year-old temple in the Golden Triangle last Sunday.

“Many tourists could visit this temple. We should condemn the government for not respecting religion,” said the DAP MP.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng also criticised the demolition of the temple at Jalan P. Ramlee.

“Even though the federal government has promised to beautify the temple, we don’t see how beautification can be done when it is being demolished,” Lim said in a separate news conference at the Parliament lobby today.

National news agency Bernama quoted Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor yesterday as saying that Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman’s main structure would not be torn down, and that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) was merely beautifying the temple as a tourist attraction.

Tengku Adnan also claimed that the place of worship has been used as a “facade” for illegal activities, but did not elaborate further.

He further said that Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman was merely a “shrine” and that it did not meet the religious requirements to be labeled as a full-fledged temple.

M. Manogaran, a former lawmaker who is currently legal advisor to the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman, said last Sunday the temple committee has decided to stay put on the land, despite offers to relocate it to Sepang.