National committee for Hindu temples to address land, legal matters

 

The Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS), Malaysia Hindudharma Mamandram (MHDM) and Malaysian Hindu Lawyers Association (MHLA) have established a national committee for Hindu temples to address long standing issues, particularly land and legal matters.

According to a press statement, former deputy national unity minister K Saraswathy (above) will serve as the committee’s chairperson.

The committee will focus on:

• Resolving land and legal status issues affecting temples;

• Strengthening governance and compliance frameworks;

• Facilitating engagement with federal and state authorities;

• Providing advisory and mediation support;

• Preserving Hindu religious heritage for future generation.

“This initiative reflects responsibility and a proactive commitment by the country’s leading Hindu organisations to safeguard the interests of Hindu temples and the community at large,” read the joint statement.

The formation of the committee stemmed from a unanimous decision made at the National Hindu Temples Conference held in November 2024, which was jointly organised by MHS, and the National Unity Ministry.

The conference was attended by approximately 600 representatives of Hindu temples from across the country along with various Hindu organisations.

12 resolutions

Twelve resolutions were adopted during the conference, addressing critical challenges faced by Hindu temples, particularly issues relating to land ownership, governance, legal recognition and sustainability.

“The ministry subsequently fine-tuned these resolutions and later brought them before the cabinet on March 23, 2025.

“One of the key resolutions was the establishment of a dedicated committee to systematically address and resolve land-related issues affecting Hindu temples.

“The committee had been formed and was functioning under the leadership of Saraswathy during her tenure as deputy minister.

“It will now reposition itself as an independent and structured platform to ensure continuity, coordination and effective engagement with relevant authorities,” read the statement.

A demolished temple in Taman Rawang Perdana

The statement said the organisations also noted the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the concerns of the Selangor ruler and the statements by the prime minister and national unity minister, as well as the prevailing public sentiments.

“In this context, the formation and strengthening of this committee is both timely and necessary.

“The decision to formalise and reposition the national committee for Hindu temples was made yesterday during a virtual meeting.

“The discussion concluded with a clear and unified mandate to move forward without delay in addressing critical temple-related issues,” it added. - Mkini