COMMENT | Phew! That was close. Had the guidelines drawn up by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Na’im Mokhtar been in force, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Batu Caves ahead of Thaipusam later in the afternoon would have never taken place.

Given the short period, it would have been almost impossible for the temple management to use dhotis or sarees to cover the statue of Lord Murugan, which stands at the entrance to the caves and other religious symbols dotted around the grounds.

Fortunately, the cabinet had, earlier in the day, snuffed out the proposals that Na’im had...