Limestone cave temples to stay, says Perak exco

IPOH: The state government will not close the existing limestone cave temples, says executive council member Woo Kah Leong.

The state domestic trade, cooperatives, consumer affairs and Chinese new villages committee chairman said as a responsible government that upholds religious diversity, it has no intention of closing the existing caves.

Instead, the government plans to maintain them, he added.

He said there were many such places of worship in the state, particularly in the Kinta district, which previously had not received much attention on the safety measures.

“We will allow these cave temples to operate provided all safety features are adhered to.

“It is imperative that the management of the temples complete all necessary features so that all visitors comprehend the risks associated with visiting the caves," he said in his winding-up speech at the state assembly sitting here on Wednesday (Feb 28).

He said more comprehensive and detailed guidelines would be issued after a special committee meeting on matters related to these temples, with the presence of several Exco members.

Woo also said that starting this year, the Jualan Rahmah programme would be carried out twice a month at supermarkets, open areas or mobile trucks.

This year, he said the programme under the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry would be expanded to rural areas for the convenience of the village folks.

“To make sure the event achieves its goal, several concepts are applied so that people need not go to urban areas to get the basic necessities," he added.

Based on statistics, some 800,000 households benefited from 508 Rahmah events, which recorded a total sales of over RM18mil, last year, he said.

In the first two months of this year, a total of 108 sales have been organised statewide, he added.