KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 115 places of worship in the federal capital have been found illegally built on government land, said Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Edmund Santhara Kumar.
He said from the total, eight cases were successfully settled with the temples and shrines involved by granting occupation offer letter while the remaining cases were offered alternative sites reserved as non-Muslim house of worship (RIBI).
“From the balance of 107 temples, 56 were identified as RIBI which needed urgent action to shift as the area will be developed,” he told reporters after handing over offer letters for identified RIBI sites here today.
As an effort to overcome all these problems, Santhara said the ministry through the Federal Territories director of Lands and Mines Office has taken the approach of creating an RIBI Executive Committee Meeting (MJE RIBI) last August which is chaired by him.
The MJE, he said comprised representatives from each religious association to discuss matters relating to the management of RIBI issues apart from finding solution on illegal occupation.
Santhara said among the problems on the matter included not getting the cooperation of the landowner, temple, and shrine management, apart from inaccurate facts which delayed the issue from being brought to MJE RIBI.
At the same time, he also hoped all religious associations would be more sensitive in setting up places of worship especially on government land and requested they seek permission for the place of worship from Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
“We are always supportive of efforts to maintain the harmony of a multiracial community,” he said. – Bernama, April 14, 2021
