Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email It seems that all this while, there were certain rulings for building places of worship in Selangor. In particular, there are limitation in terms of size (10,000 sqft), and land allocation by developer for new housing projects (0.4ha). There’s also limitation in terms of height, it seems. Wonder why the previous state government discriminated so much? Is it due to inaction by the community leaders or leaders refusing to listen to coalition partners? I remember folks talking about the temples not allowed to be taller than the nearby mosques. Not sure how true it was, but the statement by Dr Xavier indicates some truth in that notion. The following excerpts are from The Star:
SHAH ALAM: Non-Muslim places of worship in Selangor will have a higher annual allocation and the limit on the land size removed, under proposed changes to the guidelines. Also proposed will be that all land earmarked for places of worship should not be located near oxidation pond, septic tanks, high tension wires or large drains.
State health, plantation workers, poverty and caring government committee chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said he felt the current RM3mil allocation from the state government was too small compared to its large population. He said he would recommend to the state executive council to raise the amount substantially in next year’s budget but declined to reveal the amount sought for.
He added the current 930 sq m limit for the size and limits on height and length of the buildings should not be fixed because there were many things to be considered like the location and needs of the community.
Dr Xavier said he and Liu felt the current condition for a 0.4ha land allocation for non-Muslim places worship in major development was inadequate given the large population in such areas.
However, in NST, it is stated that the limits has been abolished:
SHAH ALAM: A requirement that limits new non-Muslim places of worship to 10,000 sq feet has been abolished by the state government. State Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Committee chairman Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said the requirement was impractical and as such, no predetermined limits on size, length and height would be imposed on any religious community. Dr Xavier said town planners must consider the size and needs of the communities.”The proposed places of worship should be big enough to cater to the needs of a particular religious community in any area.”
He said no more places of worship would be built next to sewage ponds, high-tension wires or power substations.
Developers will also be required to set aside more land for non-Muslim places of worship. Currently, they are required to set aside 0.4ha, which is far from adequate.The state will also raise the annual budget for non-Muslim places of worship. “The current annual allocation is RM3 million but a more substantial amount will now be provided,” he said, adding that the actual amount would be announced later.
As for location of temples, even in my housing area, the temple is located under the water reservoir, probably relocated when developer took over the land. We have read many cases in the papers where temples are located in ridiculous places like next to septic tanks, oxidation ponds, large drainage, retention ponds, rubbish dumps etc. This boils down to lack of proper ruling, which in turn reflects on the previous government and authorities – arrogance, disrespect, and houlier-than-thou attitude towards people of other faith. Its easy to proclaim over microphones that many things were done for places of worships, but the reality felt by people is different. Imagine waiting decades for a church application to be approved in Shah Alam!
RM3 million annual allocation of course is not enough for the population of people who follow faiths like Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, Jainism, etc. Hopefully the new government will be able to increase the allocation according to the population ratio and different faiths. Can’t believe that the previous government practised so much discrimination for the last 50 years. When the people make noise, the leaders will immediately announce publicly special allocation which is approved due to request by community leaders. This is how things have been working all this while. Like a drama.
State health, plantation workers, poverty and caring government committee chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said he felt the current RM3mil allocation from the state government was too small compared to its large population. He said he would recommend to the state executive council to raise the amount substantially in next year’s budget but declined to reveal the amount sought for.
As for the problem in Bandar Botanic Klang, according to Star, Xavier is quoted as saying “Sai Baba followers” were allocated half (0.2ha) of the 0.4ha land, while Christian and Buddhist community each got 0.1ha. That would mean “Sai Baba followers” should have come under Hindu community allocation. But now, the Hindu community is asking for a temple. So, on what basis was the earlier allocation given to the Sai Baba followers? Who made the wrong decision and on what basis? I’m not against Sai Baba group or any other groups, but in this instance, if Hindus ask for a temple, other communities will wonder why we are asking for it when already have Sai Center there. This puts the center and the community in bad light. But the way Xavier puts it, Sai Baba followers don’t come under Hindu faith, so that why this problem is happening now. Anyone can clarify?
“In Bandar Botanic, Klang, for instance, half of the 0.4ha site was given to the Sai Baba followers, a quarter to Buddhists and the rest to Christians while the sizeable population of Hindus there do not have a place to build a temple,” he said.
Finally, they have had 3 meetings so far, so I hope the new guidelines will be properly developed and implemented. No point talking alot, but it must be seen to be adhered too.
Dr Xavier was speaking yesterday after meeting non-Muslim leaders from the various communities. State Local Government, Study and Research Committee chairman Ronnie Liu was also at the meeting to discuss new guidelines for non-Muslim places of worship. Dr Xavier said the meeting was the third held with state and national religious authorities. “The new guidelines will be implemented once a consensus is reached.”
Xavier also said that he and Ronnie Liu had directed the local authorities not to demolish temples without state goverment authorities. When was the directive issued? Before of after the Kapar Amman temple problem? Thise guys must realise that to ensure the guidelines are followed, close cooperation is needed. If the police and local authorities do not support the state government, then these guideline will be just on paper. The new government will also face the wrath of the rakyat for talking a lot, but not able to take action. They should not be promising things if they cannot fulfill it.
Dr Xavier also said that he and Liu had also directed all local authorities not to issue demolition notices or tear down places of worship without the approval of the state government.
Dear Mr.Poobalan
i would to add regarding the temple height to get approval,
in Kuala Lipis, Pahang they just rebuild the temple and completed two years ago (not very sure, maybe three years ago), but the temple just get approval from the authority after some alteration works done to reduce the temple height.
for your information the temple rebuild just few meters from the old location,which is also the temple land. The old temple might be the 1 and only temple in Malaysia that devotees have to go down the steps to enter the temple
here are some of the temples pictures,
http://gmurali.com/new-murugan-temple-in-kuala-lipispahang.html
The Pahang state government should learn from Selangor state government
This is what we anak selangor wanted we want change and we got the change……for the past 50 years BN has been fooling rakyat selangor.
Thank god their evil regime has been defeated by citizens of red and yellow state.
Its a delight to waych khir toyo sitting in opposition bench.
This is a joke.
Bandar Botanic needs a Hindu temple ?….Please lah, not everyone is a complete moron. just drive around the Bandar Botanic / Bukit Tinggi area and see the number of Hindu temples there. In fact we need to reduce the number of the temples and consolidate them to turn them into a respectable ones as the current ones are hardly a credit to our religion.
I also saw a land already allocated to Hindu temple (with signboard saying so) near the area as well. And this was done during pre-PR time, btw.
As for Xavier, well, he has my sympathies. Don’t promise something that he can’t fulfill or the state exco agreed to. Mark my words, this statement will come back to haunt his soon enough.
I had been saying that it doesnt matter BN or PR, the problem lies with us. We do not lack temples, in fact the problem is due to too many temples. They have grown like mushrooms and badly managed and in poor shape. Many of these temples are located in some highly inappropriate places. For example, if you drive from Klang to North Port, you can see a hidden temple under a bridge on the road. And just drive around the Bandar Botanic and Bkt Tinggi area and see how Hinduism has been tarnished by these hooligans claiming to be Hindus.
i think the areas being estate/plantation prior to development allocated land for small temples, either out of respect or political interference. i doubt there are new temples, only those built to replace existing ones which may have been demolished. i remember seeing a temple from the klang-banting road during the initial development of bukit tinggi. now, the place is crowded. so, those temples may have been (re)located there by the developers. first the land will be empty, and later they will built the infrasctructure like sewerage pond, treatment pond, cemetery, around it, making it inconvenient or an hindrance (or even eyesore) for others.
i agree that the temples could have been consolidated, (something that the previous government could have initiated, but obviously the makkal won’t listen) but now the issue claimed by the resident is “no temple” for them. why is that? factions among the community? maybe they want a bigger temple.
i have gut feeling that Xavier will be having a hard time. you may be right on this.
Dear Poobalan
Perhaps you are right about the temples being relocated but I have my doubts. Sorry if I sound pessimistic but based on my experience I think some of the Indians are just built these makeshift temples in order to claim for compensation later from the developer. It is unbelievable that we have at least 6 temples (all of them in deplorable condition and an affront to Hinduism) in the area.
What they should have done is like the Mid Valley case where the developer built a big and beautiful temple for Hindus instead of numerous small ones. Unfortunately, though it is one of the most beautiful temples in Malaysia, the Mid Valley temple is often empty.
We cannot blame the developers if they built sewearage ponds and other less than clean structures around these kutti temples as we do not own the land. In the first place why we need these temples when we have at least one nice temple within Bandar Bkt Tinggi itself.
The same was evident in the case of the temple in Jalan Seremban-Tampin in NS. That temple was abandoned for years. And when the roadwork started, people start to come in and protest the relocation. They refused to move to a new place claiming the tree to be sacred. As a result, the whole Seremban-Tampin road widening project has stopped. This delay has actually made some people bankrupt due.
the only way is government must take responsible in building temples, in fact all worshiping places to avoid these so called “illegal temples”
Borak….I agree with you. T
here has to be a new arrangement. I heard previously(before the GE) Ong Ka Ting talking about a new law that about to be introduced that makes it compulsory for new developments to have places of worship. Not sure what had happened to it. That would be a good start.
well, 6 temples is possible if the land belonged to different management or the “divide and rule” mentality since British time caused a split in the community. Thus, each sub-ethnic, tribal, (or caste) group may have its own temple. These small temples would have served the small groups of communities in the past as they basically lived among themselves. Now, with the estates gone, their lives changes. However, creating temple for purpose of compensation is also possible.
I’ve passed by the temple few times, but I don’t like going to MidValley due to jam and parking problem. Maybe this is the reason why not much crowd there.
For developers, its all about business. They are not concerned that people have to pray amid certain smell or stench. The gesture to build temples is just to fulfill state government’s request or directive, nothing more. Its not because they are caring people. That why we end up with situation were temples are next to unpleasant facilities.
Yeah, I heard about the temple along Sereban-Tampin. I thought a court case is pending?
The Jalan Seremban-Tampin case was thrown out by the High Court. But apparently our heroes are appealing again.
Do you guys/gals think we should be focusing the scarce resources of the community on such trivial issues ? Wouldn’t it be better that we work with the authorities to build a better and legal temple ? While I am not an expert, I know enough of the religion to know that Hinduism never have such things as “holy tree” or temples cannot be relocated. This is pure hogwash.
And BTW did know know that in Rembau a temple was demolished by an Indian PKR supporter a few days before the GE, in order to blame the BN ? He was caught and his tactics were exposed.