A local Malay-language newspaper, Berita Harian, has been asked to apologise for its recent erroneous report in which it said drugs were being sold at an abandoned temple in Sentul.

Hindu group Persatuan Rapat Malaysia (Rapat) said this was insulting to the Hindu religion, and pointed out that the purported temple was actually a toddy shop which was still operational.

"That is not a temple. It's different. If you don't know (the difference), ask someone who knows.

"Berita Harian has to apologise. Otherwise I will discuss with my legal advisers and see if we can take legal action against the newspaper," Rapat president A Rajaretinam told a press conference in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, today.

The daily reported on Tuesday that there was a drug den at an abandoned temple (kuil terbiar) which it said was located only 100 metres away from the Sentul police district headquarters.

Rajaretinam said the report was made worse by the fact there were three Hindu temples nearby and it also damaged their reputations.

Rapat legal adviser and former Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran also criticised Berita Harian for the report, adding that Rapat would look into taking out a summons of defamation against the daily.

Manogaran said he would like to get a response from Sentul district police chief ACP Munusamy Ragasamy, saying the report seemed to imply the police had been unaware of a drug den so close to their district headquarters.

"I want to ask the Sentul police chief his response to this report. Is he aware of it (the drug den)?" he asked.

Rapat has also lodged a police report against the newspaper on the erroneous report and urged the police to take immediate action.