PRIESTS IN HINDU TEMPLES (Terms of employment)

Mr S. Rajoo asked the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs how many priests are employed in each of the Hindu Temples administered by the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board and whether their numbers are sufficient; and if he is in a position to give details of their initial salaries, periodic increments and present salaries.

Inche Othman Bin Wok: Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member has tabled a number of questions touching on the Hindu religion, and before I answer them, I should like to make it quite clear that Singapore is a secular State with no established church or national religion. In fact, all religions are equal, and the Government's policy has always been, and will always be, to leave each religious community to run its own affairs without interference from the State. This is religious freedom. I shall, therefore, be most happy to answer the hon. Member's question, in so far as the seeking of information is concerned, but I shall be in no position to deal with any matters impinging upon any power or right of administration, which is strictly a matter for the religious authority concerned.

And now to come to the hon. Member's question. I have obtained the information from the Muslim and Hindu Endowments Board, which is responsible for the administration of four Hindu Temples, namely:

(i) The Mariamman Temple at South Bridge Road,

(ii) The Sivan Temple at Orchard Road,

(iii) The Kaliamman Temple at Somerset Road, and

(iv) The Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road.

The Mariamman Temple has one Head Priest who is paid a salary of $100 per month, and three Pandarams who are paid $65 per month, $63 per month and $60 per month respectively. The Sivan Temple employs one Priest at $80 per month and one Pandaram at $60 per month. The Kaliamman Temple has only one Pandaram at $90 per month. The Perumal Temple employs one Priest at $150 per month and one Assistant Priest at $130 per month.

It will be seen that each Temple employs priests and pays salaries according to its means. I understand that there are no fixed salary scales with regular increments. I am told, however, that these employees receive other emoluments over and above their salaries, e.g., commissions on fees paid to the Temples by devotees for prayer ceremonies conducted by the priests; they are also provided with free housing, water and electricity.

Mr S. Rajoo (Fanner Park): I understand from the Minister that the priests in various temples are paid various sums of money. For instance, in the Mariamman Temple, the priest is paid $100 per month, and in the Sivan Temple the priest is paid $80 per month, and in the Perumal Temple one priest is paid $150 per month and his assistant is paid $130 per month. Does the Minister know why such different payments are maintained in different temples? Is he aware that the management of the Sivan Temple at Orchard Road is run on a contract basis and that only one priest is given full control over all matters, and that there are not even any records of -

Mr Speaker: I am afraid I must stop the hon. Member. I have just had a look at the Ordinance setting up the Board and it gives no power to the Minister to issue directions to the Board. In any event where there is a statutory board, the Minister is not answerable for matters of detail day-to-day administration. So, if the hon. Member wants to ask a question on a matter of principle, he may do so. He will have to restrict his supplementary to matters of principle and not go to details.

Mr Rajoo: My point is: if the Ministry devotes its responsibilities to the appointment of certain members of the Board and does not look into the matter of how the Board is run, there may be so many anomalies arising. So in future could the Minister, when he appoints members to the Board or when he does something, take into consideration what is happening? Otherwise, there will be a lot of inconvenience and dissatisfaction in the community.

Just in one instance, I want to say that -

Mr Speaker: Mr Rajoo, you are going much further than a supplementary question. You are making a speech. Do you have a question?

Mr Rajoo: The question is: will the Minister regulate such matters or give directions to the Board on how the management is to be run? I mean, at least in future when he is introducing a Bill, will he look into this matter?

Inche Othman Bin Wok: Sir, I think you have answered the question - that the Minister has no jurisdiction over the administration of the temples from day to day.