one big elephant

Temple chairman calls Najib ‘elephant’

By Yow Hong Chieh

January 20, 2011

BATU CAVES, Jan 20 — Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Dhevasthanam chairman Datuk R. Nadarajah today likened the prime minister to “an elephant” for having Malaysians’ best interests at heart.
He praised Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s “just and fair” administration for promoting inclusiveness and belief in a multiracial society under the prime minister’s 1 Malaysia concept.
“Like an elephant, your heart is full of courage. You know what needs to be done for the rakyat,” Nadarajah said in his Thaipusam address here at an event attended by Najib and MIC top leaders.
He thanked Najib for paying special attention to the Indian community, and lauded the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman’s various initiatives to help Indians succeed.
Nadarajah cited greater financial aid to Tamil vernacular schools, the higher number of Indians in civil service and the Little India facelift in Brickfields as reasons why Najib could expect “undivided support” from the Indian community.
He added that he had been touched by Najib’s sincerity when they first met, as the prime minister had told him: “I am your friend.”
Najib’s visit to Batu Caves today was his second to commemorate Thaipusam and his third overall since he became prime minister in 2009.
He was joined by MIC past president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, current president Datuk G. Palanivel, deputy president and Labour Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, former deputy president Datuk S. Subramaniam, vice presidents S.K. Devamany and Datuk M. Saravanan as well as newly appointed information chief S. Murugesan.
Gerakan central committee member and Deputy Foreign Minister A. Kohilan Pillay was also present, as was the Indian ambassador to Malaysia.