DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim today confirmed that he will officiate the groundbreaking ceremony of a mosque to be built on Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur this Thursday, despite the controversy surrounding the relocation of a Hindu temple.
The Prime Minister also wants the management of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple to continue discussions with the landowner, a private company, and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) regarding its relocation to another site.
"I will proceed to lay the foundation stone of the mosque on the 27th of this month (this Thursday).
“I ask the temple committee to continue negotiations … the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP), the company in question, DBKL ... all of them are asked to be moderate, polite, and discuss matters amicably.
"My temple committee said the same … discuss it amicably. We are friends and companions, and do not portray us as tyrants and do not listen to instigators," he said while speaking at the 218th Police Day Commemoration at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) as reported by Berita Harian.
Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razaruddin Husain.
Anwar explained that the need to build a mosque there was due to the surrounding suraus and mosques being overcrowded, and the construction permit had already been obtained since 2019.
"I stress here … when was the approval to build the mosque granted? 2019 … do you know who the Prime Minister was at that time? When was the development permission granted? 2020 ... A new Prime Minister took over.
"When was it approved to start being built? 2021… The other Prime Minister (took over), but the current Prime Minister is being blamed," he said. – March 25, 2025
