'Hindu temple relocation plan stays'

Despite criticism, the Selangor government will proceed with relocating a Hindu temple to a Malay-majority area of Section 23 in Shah Alam.

However, Pakatan Rakyat leaders will hold a meeting with the residents either tomorrow or Thursday to explain the situation.

Shah Alam PAS parliamentarian Khalid Samad said the most “practical and strategic” location for the temple is in Section 23, where it will be situated 200m from the nearest house and 400m from a surau .

The temple, which will face an industrial lot, will be separated from the houses by a playground and a multi-purpose hall.

Speaking to Malaysiakini today, Khalid said the state government has to be“reasonable” to every ethnic group and that the relocation is based on this policy.

Section 23 residents had protested that it is not “appropriate to build a temple in a Muslim-majority” neighbourhood, as reported in Utusan Malaysia today.

Khalid noted that the temple is now in Section 19, opposite a housing area populated mainly by Malays who moved in after the temple was built 26 years ago. Due to their objections, it will be moved to a 2-hectare plot in Section 23.

In the Utusan report, the residents had claimed that the state government had not consulted them before making the decision. State exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar had announced it on Aug 11.

“I can assure you a massive protest will take place if they don’t listen to our concerns,” the report quoted Section 23 Association Action Committee deputy president Ibrahim Sabri as saying.

The residents submitted a memorandum to the state secretariat yesterday, objecting to the relocation.

‘I did not act alone’

The Malay-language daily also highlighted a claim by Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) director Muhammed Khusrin Munawi that the decision was made by Jayakumar and not the state secretariat, as has been the practice.

Jayakumar is the chairperson of the non-Muslim houses of worship committee.

In an immediate reaction, he denied that he had made the decision on his own, saying that the committee is the one that decides.

“All district officers, councillors, state representatives and NGOs attended the meeting. Even Jais has representatives in the committee,” he said, revealing that no objections had been recorded.

“Jais should have talked to state officials first rather than go to the media, as it has direct connections with the state secretariat. But so far, Jais has not written to us with their objections.”

To a question as to whether Pakatan is afraid of losing votes, both Jayakumar and Khalid seemed unperturbed.

“It is up to them to vote for anyone they want. A few hundreds residents can’t be a factor if a party wins or loses,” said Jayakumar.

For Khalid, the residents hold the right to vote, “but have to realise that they must be reasonable to those of other religions”.