Groundbreaking for mosque a 'historic' moment, says Zaliha

 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa today said the groundbreaking ceremony for the “Madani Mosque” is a historic moment representing the triumph of wisdom, patience, and the principle of virtue in resolving a sensitive conflict.

Taking to Facebook, Zaliha, who was among federal ministers who attended the groundbreaking ceremony by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, expressed gratitude that textile company Jakel Tradings can proceed with the mosque’s construction after nearly a decade of delays.

“This is the success of a wise approach founded on the objectives of shariah and the jurisprudence of priorities,” she said.

Zaliha defined the priorities as being for Muslims to have a mosque as a centre for worship and community; to preserve harmony within a multi-ethnic society, and to ensure that the image of Islam remains protected as a religion of compassion and justice.

“Whatever decision was made, it went through a thorough process of consultation and careful consideration.

“Security advice was received, legal counsel was taken into account, and ultimately, religious perspectives became the guiding measure,” she said.

“If this issue could have been resolved through legal means, shouldn’t it have been settled a long time ago?

“It shouldn’t have taken over a decade to be unravelled,” said Zaliha.

Agreement reached

On March 25, the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple committee confirmed it had reached an agreement with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to relocate the current structure along Jalan Munshi Abdullah, off Jalan Masjid India, to a nearby site about 50m away.

Advocates for the temple’s preservation cited its century-old history dating back to the British colonial era, while a vast majority of critics argued that the temple should move as it has no legal rights to the land sold by DBKL to Jakel.

Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple

The issue and subsequent heated debates on land rights and the history of Hindu temples were sparked following a March 20 press conference held by Lawyers for Liberty, together with former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan and the temple committee members.

Commenting further, Zaliha reiterated Anwar’s speech at the ceremony, that he has remained consistent in stressing the need for dialogue and compromise.

“However, his stance remains firm: this mosque must be built in this area, in order to honour the wakaf bequest; uphold the right of Muslims to worship; and fulfil the objectives of Islamic law in preserving the faith.

“This is a symbol of being firm but gentle. This is the face of Malaysia Madani - steadfast in principle, and prudent in execution. Upholding syariah without abandoning wisdom,” she said.

Earlier, Anwar described the mosque’s planned construction as a “victory” after a decade of stalled development.

Anwar, however, said the success, which he credited to various federal ministers and others directly involved, was not achieved through a show of arrogance against others. - Mkini