Dispute over Buddhist centre settled with move to new site

Teluk Kumbar residents at Friday solat hajat (special prayers) on Jan 3 to voice concern over the building of a meditation centre near their flats.

GEORGE TOWN: A Buddhist group has agreed to shift a proposed meditation centre in Teluk Kumbar to another location 5km away after protests from residents next to the original site.

Persatuan Amitabha Pulau Pinang had wanted to build a three-storey building on state land earmarked for places of worship for non-Muslims near Taman Kumbar Permai flats in Bandar Baru Teluk Kumbar, southwest Penang island.

The land was granted to the association by the land office on April 2, 2018, and it had applied for planning permission from the Penang Island City Council.

The land has been tarred and used by residents as a car park. The residents, who are mainly Muslims, had protested against the building of the meditation centre for the past year, citing insensitivity and traffic concerns.

The residents had held protests twice in the past two months, holding up placards and organising a Friday solat hajat (special prayers) on Jan 3, with more than 1,000 people taking part. They asked that no “Chinese tokong” (Chinese temple) be built at their compound.

Today, the state executive councillor for non-Muslim affairs, Chong Eng, said that after discussions between the association and the residents, it had agreed to build the centre in Gertak Sanggul, 5km away.

Chong said the new site was also on state land although it was not earmarked as RIBI, which is usually leased to places of worship for 10 years at RM600 a year, and renewable for another 10 years.

At a gathering with the residents, she praised the tolerance shown by both groups, who were willing to meet and discuss the project.

Penang Amitabha adviser Neoh Chin Wah addresses residents at a special gathering organised by state executive councillor Chong Eng (centre, in blue) and Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Abdul Aziz (right).

“The two parties had come to discuss the matter with me and reconciled, and a decision was made to move the centre to Gertak Sanggul, 5km away, with land provided by the district office,” Chong said to applause by some 500 residents and members of the association at the flats.

Penang Amitabha adviser Neoh Chin Wah apologised to the residents for the “confusion” caused over the proposed construction of the meditation centre.

He said he understood that the application for council planning permission had classified the centre as “tokong Cina”, which further upset the residents.

Neoh said the meditation centre, to be financed by charitable funds, was to replace the association’s cramped centre in Sungai Nibong.

“Although the new site is far from here, we accept it as a mark of respect to all of you. In the spirit of Amitabha and a multiracial Malaysia, we are sorry,” he said.

Teluk Kumbar mosque qariah chairman Muhammad Idris Salleh said the residents were worried about about traffic congestion if the centre was built next to their flats.

“We are happy that we have resolved the problem,” he said.

Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Abd Aziz said he had never opposed the idea of a new meditation centre for the association but had merely wanted it to be located at a more convenient site. - FMT