PUTRAJAYA: Municipal authorities in the country are authorised to demolish places of worship that are constructed without complying with lawful procedures.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government has no objection to the construction of temples, churches or mosques, but stressed that all such developments must adhere to the rule of law.
He also criticised those who take matters into their own hands, as well as attempts to justify the construction of houses of worship in violation of legal requirements.
Anwar was commenting on the aborted rally planned by preacher Zamri Vinoth, who was arrested by police after calling for a protest against what he described as illegal houses of worship in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
“We will no longer permit the construction of places of worship that do not comply with regulations. Municipal councils are authorised to take action to clear structures that do not rightfully belong to the occupants, so that this issue can be resolved properly,” he said during the National Unity Ministry’s monthly assembly this morning.
“I am aware that this will invite controversy. That is why I must also say that taking matters to extremes, such as campaigns calling for the demolition of temples, is equally wrong. This is the responsibility of the state, as Malaysia is governed by the rule of law,” he added.
Speaking at the Unity Ministry’s monthly assembly today, Anwar said acts of worship could not be legitimised on land that was forcibly taken, seized or occupied without consent.
“If the land belongs to someone else, how can we carry out acts of worship by seizing another person’s land?” he said.
He stressed that under the law, all places of worship – whether mosques, churches, temples or others – must be developed with valid approval.
“This is not a new issue. It may appear recent only because a case occurred under the PMX administration and matters became chaotic. In reality, all previous governments, from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional, have maintained the same policy,” he said.
“Mosques must be built in accordance with regulations, churches must be built in accordance with regulations, and the same applies to all others. Solutions must be sought, not conflict.”
Anwar said enforcement action would only be taken in cases of violations, and that the government would proceed through lawful channels and engagement.
However, he stressed that the government would not allow the uncontrolled proliferation of places of worship built arbitrarily without approval, including those located on public land.
“What cannot be allowed is the unchecked proliferation of such structures, including those built under trees or in unauthorised locations. Even in other countries, including India and China, places of worship are only permitted to be built on legally approved sites,” he said.
He added that long-standing cases would be considered separately, but cautioned against using longevity as automatic justification.
“If there is a case that has existed for 200 years and requests consideration, we will assess it separately. However, do not use the argument of long existence as an automatic basis for approval,” he said.
Anwar said the government could not defend all places of worship built without valid approval.
“If there are 1,000 temples that do not comply with land permissions and approvals, we cannot defend all of them. That is not possible. That is why this clarification must become a shared understanding,” he said.
“Islam is the religion of the Federation. Other religions are granted their respective rights. But can we grant permission to places of worship that do not comply with regulations? We cannot, because we are bound by the rule of law.”
Commenting on Batu Caves, Anwar said the site is lawful and has obtained approval, including a proposal to construct an escalator to facilitate Hindu worshippers.
Separately, Anwar said the government has never opposed pig farming, but stressed that such activities should not be allowed in areas that cause unease among residents.
“If desired, alternative locations further away can be sought and operations may continue. From a policy perspective, we do not oppose pig farming nor do we prohibit non-Muslims from consuming pork,” he said.
Anwar also said the government has agreed to expand the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) scheme to include frozen food, and to increase the involvement of small grocery retailers to 10,000 by the end of the year.