Proposed non-Muslim houses of worship rule on residency impossible to meet - PKR MP

 

Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung has reiterated concerns that residency requirements under Selangor's proposed guidelines for non-Muslim houses of worship would be impossible to meet.

This is in regard to the rule providing for one non-Muslim house of worship for every 5,000 residents, or about 1,250 households.

During a press conference today, Lee (above) said this would require a development area the size of 40.5ha. This is around 56 football fields of land.

He also asserted that it needed to be under a single development order - and was concerned that developments done under two or more development orders would be disqualified.

Further, the estranged PKR lawmaker said that such developments are increasingly rare in the Klang Valley, with housing projects often built in "pockets".

Thus, he said that the continued removal of a clause that allowed local councils to have discretion in approving the conversion of commercial units into non-Muslim houses of worship would create future problems.

Lee proposed adding back the clause and also lowering the residency threshold to 500 households.

Let Limas decide

Meanwhile, Lee also raised concern about a proposal to allow local councils to order existing non-Muslim houses of worship to remove structures taller than nearby mosques or surau.

He said the rule should be amended and that a decision should instead be made by the Special Committee on Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Tao Religious Affairs (Limas).

Limas co-chairperson Ng Sze Han previously said the guidelines will not be enforced while a consultation between the government and religious associations takes place.

Exco Ng Sze Han

Following the consultation on May 30, the special committee said the guidelines were intended to facilitate planning in new developments by ensuring places of worship are located close to residents.

However, it said the non-Muslim groups have asked for space in commercial buildings to be used as places of worship in new areas to serve the needs of their local communities.

A spokesperson for the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office previously told Malaysiakini that the associations have also asked for two weeks to provide written feedback and proposals to the state government.

The spokesperson said Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari assures that the new guidelines will provide a safe space for all Selangorians to carry out their religious activities in peace.

Selangor MB Amirudin Shari

“The original guidelines, which were intended for planning future developments, were a regrettable error as they did not take into account the sensitivities of diverse religious beliefs in Selangor,” the spokesperson said. - Mkini