By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
Two deputy ministers chaired a meeting to discuss the management of non-Muslim houses of worship in Malaysia amid rising tensions following the demolition of several such structures.
The meeting on Friday (March 6) brought together religious leaders and officials to strengthen governance and dialogue in managing issues involving non-Muslim houses of worship.
Entitled ‘Strategic Meeting on Harmony and Governance Related to Issues Involving Non-Muslim Houses of Worship’, it was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of National Unity R. Yuneswaran and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Marhamah Rosli.
“The meeting was convened to discuss, in a collective and constructive manner, governance aspects related to issues involving non-Muslim houses of worship. Discussions focused on management, coordination and the best approaches to addressing arising issues,” according to a joint statement released after the meeting.
The meeting comes amid growing public debate over the demolition or relocation of several so-called “illegal” non-Muslim places of worship across Malaysia. Many of these temples and shrines — some decades old — were built on government or privately owned land without formal approval, often due to historical settlement patterns or unclear land status.
Local authorities have moved to enforce planning and land laws, leading to demolitions or relocation orders that have sparked protests and concern among religious communities.
Critics argue that the issue reflects long-standing administrative gaps in recognising and regularising such places of worship, while authorities maintain that enforcement is necessary to uphold planning regulations and prevent unauthorised construction.
The discussions also touched on the need to strengthen understanding of procedures and guidelines relating to the management and construction of houses of worship, the statement added.
At the federal level, it said the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) plays an important role in coordinating matters related to non-Muslim houses of worship, including through the Non-Muslim Houses of Worship Fund Coordination Unit (RIBI), which monitors and coordinates the allocation of related funds.
Accordingly, it said all parties are expected to comply with guidelines issued by KPKT regarding the approval and management of places of worship. This is based on existing legal provisions, including the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171), the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133), and the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172), which empower local authorities to regulate building structures, hygiene aspects, and ensure that no houses of worship are constructed without approval within their respective administrative areas.
“The government will continue to provide a dialogue platform with representatives of religious communities to ensure that any issues can be addressed through consultation, mutual understanding and a spirit of unity,” it said.
At the same time, the statement added that the government emphasised that any parties who play up or exploit issues involving religion, race and the royal institutions (3R) in ways that undermine social harmony will not be tolerated, and appropriate action may be taken by the authorities in accordance with existing laws.
“Dialogue, negotiation and mediation will remain the primary approaches in managing issues involving multi-religious communities so that matters can be handled prudently without affecting social harmony and unity,” it said.
It said the meeting was also attended by chairpersons and representatives of houses of worship from various religions nationwide, including the Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Sikh and Bahá’í communities.
Representatives from several government agencies were also present, including the Home Ministry (KDN), the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the Registrar of Societies (ROS), PLANMalaysia and other related agencies.
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