POLICE have averted a protest planned near the Bukit Mertajam hospital after meeting with all parties involved in the issue concerning unregulated Hindu shrines.
The civil society under the name of Surplus Welfare Penang Association has reportedly called off the planned protest, but the police will continue to stay vigilant at the location, which is some 40km from Penang.
Penang police chief Azizee Ismail said that the Bukit Mertajam district police chief Helmi Aris met with both the purported protesters and the shrine management committee to discuss the matter and to offer advice.
As a result, both sides have abided by the advice to call off the protest because it would cause congestion in the town centre.
Earlier, the police were investigating a viral social media post that a protest would be held over claims that the shrine was illegal and that there should not be any religious ceremony tied to it.
The investigation by the police was under the Penal Code and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“We want to make it clear that we will not be going to Bukit Mertajam Hospital,” Surplus chairman Sophian Zain said.
“Anyone who goes to the hospital will not be our people. We can’t stop them.”
Sophian also dismissed claims that his members wanted to tear down the shrine, saying they only wanted to visit it after receiving complaints and because a video of the shrine went viral online.
“An NGO like ours does not have the power to demolish structures,” he said.
He said Surplus was not behind the widely shared poster on the protest, adding that it was generated by certain quarters using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Several Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders, including Jelutong MP RSN Rayer and Batu Uban assemblyperson A. Kumaresan, had lodged police reports after controversial preacher and activist Zamri Vinoth called for the shrine to be demolished in a Facebook post.
Azizee urged the public not to gather or take part in any gathering, either at the shrine or elsewhere. - March 7, 2026.
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