FREEDOM of speech and religious preaching must never be used as a licence to promote intolerance or undermine harmony in a multi-religious society like Malaysia.
Therefore, the claim by Muslim convert preacher Zamri Vinoth that Malaysia has many “illegal temples” is misleading, racially charged and risk creating tension in a country with diverse ethnic groups and faiths.
Urging the government to take firm and consistent action against preachers or individuals who condemn, insult or incite hatred against other religions, MIC vice-president Datuk A. Kohilan Pillay insisted that issues surrounding places of worship should not be viewed narrowly or blamed on any religious community.
After all, the reality is such that part of the problem lies in weaknesses in planning policies and failures by local authorities.
“Under existing guidelines, a residential area with a population of 5,000 is required to allocate at least 0.5 acres of land for non-Muslim places of worship,” revealed the former teacher who was a key member of Gerakan for 16 years prior to joining MIC in 2019, citing the former had lost its vision.
“The key question is whether this guideline is being implemented consistently nationwide. If these planning requirements aren’t properly enforced, the resulting shortcomings should not be blamed on any religious community. This reflects weaknesses in governance rather than a failure of interfaith harmony.”
Distorting truth
As it is, many residential developments were approved without adequate land for non-Muslim places of worship while temples and other houses of worship on plantation land were affected when such land was re-developed without proper consideration for their continuity, according to the former plantation industries and commodities deputy minister.
“Therefore, labelling places of worship as ‘illegal’ without understanding historical, social and policy contexts is irresponsible and doesn’t contribute to meaningful solutions,” contended the two-term senator (2008–2014).
“As a plural society, harmony among all races and religions is fundamental to Malaysia’s stability and progress.”
Currently, Zamri Vinoth ‘has positioned’ himself as a spokesperson/advocate for the recently established Gerakan Anti Rumah Anutan Haram (Anti-Illegal House of Worship Movement) which is slated to stage a gathering in the vicinity of SOGO Kuala Lumpur this Saturday (Feb 7) at 8pm.
Framing the issue of “illegal houses of worship” as one with legal or crime nature, the known to be a staunch follower of controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik has been utilising his social media platforms to champion the cause by rallying his fanbase to report illegal worship structures across Malaysia.
In essence, the Angkatan Skuad Mubaligh Malaysia president has in recent times proactively lobbying for the demolition of temples built on illegally occupied land.
What is obvious is that the ‘delinquency’ level among rightist individuals who are heavily influenced by the Zamri Vinoth/Gerakan Anti Rumah Anutan Haram narratives has grown by the days.
Imagine, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) getting a warning “don’t wait until the rakyat take action their own” when he stated that the police would study racist and seditious remarks made on social media with action to be gradually taken.
“Don’t ever forget the Kampung Medan Petaling Jaya Village and Taman Juta Klang incidents,” penned one rightist netizen to a FB post by current affairs new site The Berita,
“We don’t trouble others and we don’t even want to find a fight but defending one’s property is a must for Muslims.
“It’s the ministers who shouldn’t be heating up the issues. We Malays will eventually lose patience. It’s better for us to sit down together, find food together, school together and work together. So don’t ever make the situation worse.”
Likewise, the rightist groups are even claiming double standards that favour “the guilty quarters” in that “those who file land encroachment complaints get arrested instead”. “Hindu activist Arun Dorasamy who has been frequently issuing racist statements has never been arrested,” claimed another commenter.
This led to reactions that “the cops have no b*lls for they’re only stern with the Malays” or “where is racism when Cikgu Chandra (pro-rightist social media influencer) isn’t a Muslim while Zamri is an Indian himself”.
- Focus Malaysia
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