Selangor DAP today said state executive councillor Teng Chang Khim need not resign over the controversial guidelines over non-Muslim houses of worship because "to err is only human".

It also formed a committee made up of Selangor DAP members, including constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari, to assist Teng in rectifying the "sensitive" matter.

"(Teng) has neither stolen money from the state government coffers, nor abused his powers to benefit vested interest parties like developers," Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua said in a statement.

"To err is certainly human, but what is most important is the fact that immediate steps are being taken to ensure that these errors are corrected upon discovery.

"No one has yet suffered or been penalised by the guidelines for new non-Muslims places of worship," Pua said.

Teng today offered to resign after backlash over the state guidelines which among others said non-Muslim places of worship should not be built within 50 metres of a home owned by Muslims.

Revision process

Teng said he had sought for amendments to the guidelines before it went to print, but the amendments were not done.

Selangor DAP also unanimously found that the guidelines, which also stated that places of worship in areas with multiracial make-up would require consent of residents within a 200-metre radius, to be "inappropriate for a multi-racial, multi-religious society which encourages mutual respect and tolerance".

It also supports Teng's decision to seek the state executive council's approval to suspend the relevant sections of the guidelines pending revision, at the exco meeting on Wednesday.

Others in the Selangor DAP committee who will assist Teng to revise the guidelines include Selangor legislative assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh, Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran, Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin and Kinrara assemblyperson Ng Sze Han.

"This will ensure that no stones are left unturned in the revision process," Pua said.

MIC Youth thinks otherwise

MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh, however, believes Teng should step down over his "silly mistake".

"It shows DAP has a poor and weak leader in the Selangor state administration.

"Not only DAP, but the whole Pakatan (Harapan) government should be held responsible for this mistake.

"Where are the so called non-Muslim leaders in DAP and PKR?" he asked in a statement.

The Selangor government is made up of PAS, DAP, Parti Amanah Negara and PKR assemblypersons.