THE demolition of the Veeramakaliamman Temple in Bukit Lagi, Perlis, should not be turned into a racial or religious issue, state Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said.
The renowned scholar explained that the matter should instead be dealt with under existing laws, particularly those governing land ownership and the use of land.
Malaysia, he said, was a country governed by laws and everyone, regardless of background, was expected to comply with them.
“Even the construction of a private house cannot be carried out by encroaching on someone else’s land or public land.
“This applies even more to places of worship, which are also subject to regulations,” he wrote in a social media post today.
Mohd Asri was responding to Jelutong MP RSN Rayer’s call for Barisan Nasional (BN) to reconsider its cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN) following the demolition of the temple in Bukit Lagi, Kangar.
Rayer, who is also chairman of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board, had questioned PN’s ability to respect Malaysia’s multi-racial and multi-religious character if it were to govern at the federal level.
He also said the issue should concern Umno, MCA and MIC, which had worked with PN in the previous Negeri Sembilan election.
Rayer had argued that the Federal Constitution protects the right to practise religions other than Islam, which is the religion of the Federation, and that the principle should be respected by all state governments, including the PN administration in Perlis.
Mohd Asri said the presence of places of worship should not be a source of tension as long as they were established legally.
He said Islam also taught Muslims to respect the rights of others, even when they disagreed with their beliefs.
“There are many temples that are legally established. They have not been touched by the majority of people in this country.
“Islam is harmonious and respects rights, even when there is disagreement,” he said.
At the same time, Mohd Asri said respect for religious rights did not mean allowing people to occupy or use land belonging to others without lawful justification.
He also stressed that the Perlis issue should not be viewed through a political lens.
“This has nothing to do with any political party. It is about enforcing regulations and upholding the rule of law,” he added.
Mohd Asri urged politicians and others commenting on the matter to avoid turning it into a racial or religious confrontation.
“Do not fuel racial sentiments or religious tension. The consequences will be bad for this country,” he said. – August 21, 2026
