Latest news with #Manogaran
The Star
2 days ago
- General
- The Star
Decades of faith and hard work transform Sibu's Hindu temple.
A ONCE modest house of worship has now blossomed into a grand cultural and spiritual landmark for the Hindu community in Sibu. The newly completed Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, built at a cost of RM2mil, stands not just as a place of prayer but as a powerful symbol of unity, heritage and hope for generations to come. The temple's origins date back to 1920, when it began as a humble hut. In 1971, it moved into a double-storey building donated by the late Soma Sundram. That house and its surrounding land were generously gifted for religious use – a gesture that laid the foundation for the temple's enduring legacy. Manogaran (fifth from left) leading a mini-procession around the temple. Today, after more than a decade of tireless work, community support and government funding, the temple has undergone a complete transformation. Temple president Manogaran Krishnasamy, who took over its management in 2012, described the journey as both challenging and deeply rewarding. 'This temple is built on new ground, literally and spiritually. It is the first Hindu temple in Sibu constructed under the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the Indian community,' said Manogaran, a retired police sergeant. 'It follows traditional Hindu customs, from the statues to the prayers – it mirrors what you would see in Peninsular Malaysia or even India.' The transformation didn't happen overnight. A large crowd of devotees at the consecration of the temple. 'It took years of fundraising, administrative work and sheer determination. Between 2018 and 2024, major construction and decorative work was completed with support from the Sarawak government and the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), which contributed nearly RM400,000. Further help came from local philanthropists and timber businessmen who donated wooden materials valued at over RM120,000. 'Without the support of our elected representatives and the local Chinese and Iban communities, this temple would not exist in its current form,' Manogaran said. 'I am especially grateful to Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg and Nangka assemblyman Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee for their belief in our vision.' The temple consecration ceremony is steeped in tradition. Initially, 10 skilled workers from India were involved in the project but as it neared completion, only four remained. 'Each worker earns a salary ranging from RM3,000 to RM4,000. 'Yes, they are skilled workers, which is why they all have certificates,' Manogaran explained. He said 16 stone sculptures were brought in from India at a cost of nearly RM22,000 for transport, while 63 statues were built on site by the specialist workers. The temple was consecrated on July 7 in a ceremony that featured 48 days of prayers and the participation of over 30 priests from India and Peninsular Malaysia. Looking ahead, the temple committee has set its sights on an even more ambitious goal: to hold Sibu's first-ever Thaipusam celebration next year. 'In Penang, Thaipusam draws people from all over the world. It's more than a religious event – it becomes a multicultural gathering,' said Manogaran. Musical instruments formed an integral part of the consecration ceremony. 'We hope to replicate that spirit here in Sibu. Our vision is to make it a memorable and inclusive festival that also draws tourists.' Plans are already under way for a local religious procession, with hopes that it could evolve into an annual cultural highlight for Sibu. While traditional chariots pulled by bulls – as seen in Peninsular Malaysia – are impractical in Sibu, the committee is exploring creative alternatives such as airport trolleys to symbolically carry the deity during the parade. In addition to Thaipusam, the temple plans to celebrate other major Hindu festivals like Navaratri, ensuring year-round spiritual activity. The temple is open daily from 7am to 10am and 6pm to 10pm, with a full-time priest from Peninsular Malaysia stationed there to conduct daily rituals. A boy being lifted up by his parents to witness the divine blessings of Goddess Mariamman at the temple. In time, there are plans to open the temple to members of the public with fixed visiting hours. Beyond its religious role, the temple also aspires to serve the wider community. Manogaran hopes to raise funds for a temple van, which could be used to transport devotees or assist in charitable work such as ferrying the sick to hospitals. Still, challenges remain as further work is needed to improve the temple's uneven grounds – but Manogaran remains optimistic. 'Many people have served this community for decades but couldn't achieve this. I've been here just seven or eight years and one day decided: it's time we had a proper temple. With faith and unity, everything is possible.' The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple today is not only a place of worship, it is a living monument to interfaith cooperation, community resilience and cultural preservation. As it prepares to host its first Thaipusam festival next year, Sibu's Hindu community, numbering between 300 and 400 people, has every reason to be proud.
Mint
11-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Expert take on how businesses can simplify the global payroll challenge
For companies looking to expand their footprint across borders, managing payroll for employees based out of different geographies can be a challenging process as it involves gaining expertise on diverse regulatory frameworks, keeping abreast with changing tax laws and labour rules that are unique to every country and, sometimes, even states within countries. In a special webinar, titled 'Solving Payroll for Global Teams: Precision, Compliance and Scale with Remote', Manasa Manogaran, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Remote shared her thoughts about how companies can streamline payroll, reduce risk and scale confidently in over 100 countries. 'Managing payroll globally is incredibly challenging because it involves navigating diverse regulatory frameworks, constantly changing tax laws, and also complex labour laws across multiple countries', Manogaran said. The fragmentation inherent in manual processes or the use of disparate tools leads to errors, delays, and compliance risks. In addition, businesses also struggle to adhere to each country's specific rules as they try to scale their business. She cited an example where managing spreadsheets or having multiple vendors for different countries can make it harder to get real time insights and timely updates on things like changes in tax rates or labour legislation, which can result in costly mistakes. Comparing payroll management across Indian states versus multiple countries, Manogaran spoke about the Indian system where a single national framework offers relatively greater levels of consistency compared to other countries like Mexico. 'In India, one of the things that are key for an employer is to make sure that the ESI and the EPF funds are remitted on time and as per the current specific year's guidelines, and it would be the same for Mexico.. In terms of managing payroll, say, across five different states in one specific country, it is a much easier landscape, because we are navigating within one specific country as to how we would operate if we were to go global,' she said. Keeping pace with these dynamic international regulations becomes a demanding task for companies. She detailed the daily struggles faced by companies: administrative burden, data visibility issues, and compliance anxieties. HR teams spend hours on spreadsheet reconciliation and chasing updates from various local vendors in each of the countries they operate in. The absence of a single, real-time payroll overview leads to data being scattered, while unchecked compliance issues, such as delayed statutory remittances, can result in large fines and penalties. Beyond operations and legalities, employee experience suffers from late payments or incorrect deductions, impacting satisfaction. Streamlining these processes from the outset is beneficial, Manogaran emphasises. This is where unified platforms like Remote come in to offer a real-time snapshot of what is going on. One of the other major complaints is employee experience. When payrolls are being managed across multiple vendors, there can be late payments, errors in deductions, mismatched benefits, etc. 'It is important to make sure that these processes are removed from the start and they don't end up slowing down business operations or affecting employee satisfaction rates,' she said. Manogaran described Remote as a global HR platform managing the entire employee lifecycle. 'Remote is a global HR platform which helps businesses hire, manage and pay their employees and contractors across the globe,' she said. Their services span from hiring employees locally or internationally via an employer of record solution, to full employee life cycle management including onboarding and benefits, to accurate and timely payroll, and even contractor management. She also shared an example of Remote's impact on payroll management. A cybersecurity client with teams in five countries, previously using four separate payroll providers, faced delays and compliance gaps. By consolidating onto Remote's single, automated platform, they achieved operational cost savings and eliminated payroll errors within six months, improving employee satisfaction. Also, Remote 'practices what we preach' – the organisation running its own global payroll for over 1,800 employees on its platform. This internal application provides valuable insights, allowing continuous refinement of the product to meet high standards of accuracy, compliance, and efficiency, proving its scalability in real-world scenarios. Looking ahead, she sees the future of global payroll driven by intelligent automation, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI). 'One of the key trends that I would like to call out is that we need people who are backed by local expertise. So I would say it is a combination of automation backed by local expertise,' she said. Remote's in-house country experts provide detailed familiarity with local regulatory knowledge, ensuring businesses remain compliant and stay on top of ever-evolving labour laws and regulations. This integrated approach offers consistency and a seamless payroll process. Manogaran advised businesses to view payroll as a global necessity from day one, and not an afterthought. Investing early in a scalable platform like Remote can save time, reduce compliance issues, and allow companies to focus on business growth rather than getting bogged down by intricate country-specific regulations. 'Choose a platform that grows with you as you scale your business', she said, highlighting the need for flexible and efficient payroll solutions. Talent is everywhere — opportunity should be too. Remote's mission is to create opportunity everywhere, empowering employers to hire, manage, and pay the best talent while allowing individuals to connect with the companies and roles that best suit their skills. As the global authority on remote employment, Remote makes it possible for businesses to build strong teams without geographic constraints, simply and compliantly. Remote was founded in 2019 by Job van der Vorrt and Marcelo Lebre, and is backed by leading investors including SoftBank, Accel, Sequoia, Index Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, General Catalyst, and B Capital. In the APAC region, India is one of key emerging markets for Remote services. To know more about this, click here. Note to the Reader: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Mint.
Borneo Post
07-07-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Hundreds attend inauguration of new Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Sibu (Video)
Manogaran (third left), Sangapoosan (fifth left), and others in a group photo. — Photo by Peter Boon SIBU (July 7): Hundreds of Hindu devotees converged on the new Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at Jalan Orchid here today for its inauguration. The drizzle did not dampen their spirits throughout the ceremony. Among those present were temple president Manogaran Krishnasamy, Sibu Hospital director Dr Nanthakumar Thirunavukkarasu, and Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Sangapoosan T Ganesan. Photo shows the short procession. — Photo by Peter Boon Manogaran told The Borneo Post the initial plan was to hold the opening ceremony yesterday. 'However, that date wasn't quite 'ideal' for us. Therefore, we chose July 7 instead, as it's considered an auspicious day according to the Indian calendar,' he explained. There was a short procession on the temple's compound before the devotees proceeded into the house of worship itself and took part in prayers. The new temple was elaborately decorated by artisans from India. — Photo by Peter Boon Construction on the temple had been hit by a four-year delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During an interview with The Borneo Post last month, Manogaran said the original temple was built in 1920. 'It was just a small hut back then. This present building was established in 1971.' Prayers are held on top of the temple. — Photo by Peter Boon Manogaran also pointed out the construction cost nearly amounted to RM2 million, up from the initial RM1.1 million due to rising building material costs and also wages. 'The current double-storey building of the temple would be repurposed. 'We need to use the top floor as a hall, while the ground floor will be for the priest's accommodation and other related purposes,' he said, adding the building has significant historical and cultural value. Devotees join the prayer session inside the new temple building. — Photo by Borhaniza Ali Basah Jalan Orchid lead Manogaran Krishnasamy Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
Borneo Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sibu's new Sri Maha Mariamman Temple undergoes final touch-ups, on schedule to open on July 7
(Front from second left) Manogaran and Sri Maha Mariamman Temple deputy president Vijayakumar R pose with others in front of the new temple's main entrance. – Photo by Peter Boon SIBU (June 12): Construction work on the new Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at Jalan Orchid here is almost completed with only final touch-ups remaining. Temple president Manogaran Krishnasamy said everything is expected to be completed by the end of this month, in time for the opening on July 7. 'The construction work was delayed for about four years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are grateful that the temple is nearly complete, accommodating around 400 devotees in Sibu. 'In light of this, we wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Sarawak government, through the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), for their significant assistance, as well as to the public and everyone who has contributed in various ways,' he told The Borneo Post at the site today. The new ornate building is situated next to the existing temple. 'The temple was built in 1920, which was just a small hut back then. Later on, this existing building was built in 1971,' said Manogaran. He pointed out the cost of construction was nearly RM2 million from the initial RM1.1 million due to rising building material costs and wages. Skilled workers from India were involved in the temple's intricate design. — Photo by Peter Boon Initially, 10 skilled workers from India were involved in the project but as it nears completion, only four remain. 'Each worker earns a salary ranging from RM3,000 to RM4,000. Yes, they are skilled workers, which is why they all have certificates,' he explained. Manogaran said 16 stone sculptures were recently brought in from India. 'The shipping expenses amounted to nearly RM22,000 for transporting these statues from there to here,' he said. He added 63 statues were already built in the temple by the specialist workers. On July 3-7, there will be a final prayer session involving some 30 priests, including six from India. 'For this final prayer session, we estimate to spend almost RM150,000 for expenses such as airfares, accommodation, and other related expenses. That's the reason we require further assistance from Unifor or other organisations. 'This will be followed by the 48-day prayers; each day will cost around RM2,000 totalling RM96,000, which is separate from the expenses of the final prayer,' Manogaran said. The current temple building is seen framed by the new archway. – Photo by Peter Boon The current double-storey building accommodating the temple will be repurposed. 'We need to use the top floor as a hall and the ground floor will be for the priest's accommodation and related purposes. So, for now, we don't have any plan yet to knock it down. 'Moreover, the building is of significant historical and cultural importance, having been constructed in 1971,' he added. Jalan Orchid lead Manogaran Krishnasamy Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
