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A SMALL Hindu religious ceremony held near Bukit Mertajam District Hospital passed off peacefully under police supervision on Saturday, prompting Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman R.S.N. Rayer to highlight Malaysia’s tradition of tolerance towards multi-religious practices.
The ceremony took place at the Shree Deva Maruthuvar Jada Muniswarar Alayam temple, a decades-old structure located near the hospital’s entrance.
The site has recently become the focus of debate, with some parties alleging that the temple was built on public land associated with the hospital.
Rayer, who is also the Member of Parliament for Jelutong, said the event demonstrated that religious activities could still be conducted harmoniously despite rising political and social polarisation.
The gathering proceeded under a heavy police presence after earlier concerns that protests might be staged against places of worship allegedly built on disputed public land.
Police had set up a roadblock leading to the hospital and temple compound in an effort to manage the situation and maintain public order.
During the ceremony, devotees offered prayers at the temple while hospital staff, patients and visitors continued their daily routines within the hospital grounds.
Authorities also intervened to prevent potential confrontation, persuading organisers of a planned protest to stay away from the area.
Protest organiser Sophian Zain later agreed to the request and urged his supporters not to attend the gathering.
The temple’s status remains contested. Some devotees and temple representatives insist that the structure predates the hospital and therefore deserves to be preserved.
Critics, however, argue that the building should be removed based on the official land ownership status.
Rayer attended the ceremony alongside former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.
Despite the peaceful conclusion of the event, speculation has emerged that another protest could be organised following the ceremony, although details remain unclear.
Sophian was later seen in a brief one-minute live video shared by controversial preacher Zamri Vinoth.
In a separate social media post, Zamri alleged that unidentified individuals had attacked his car, claiming that stones were thrown at the vehicle and that one of its windows was broken.
Meanwhile, the Penang chapter of PAS voiced concern about the ceremony and the broader issue of the temple’s location within the hospital area.
Its information chief, Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamed Jan, who is also the Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh, said the gathering had caused congestion and inconvenience to patients and their families.
Fawwaz argued that dialogue should be initiated to find a long-term solution to the presence of a temple situated within a public hospital compound.
He acknowledged that opinions on the matter differ widely, with some viewing the site as an encroachment on public land while others regard it as a place of longstanding religious significance.
However, he stressed that the interests of the public should ultimately take precedence.
According to Fawwaz, the functioning of a hospital must not be hindered under any circumstances, particularly given the life-and-death emergencies that regularly occur within such facilities. - March 8, 2026