Several Indian community leaders and Hindu organisations have welcomed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s apology over his use of the term “illegal temples” to refer to places of worship built without approval or on disputed land.
However, they urged that the phrase not be used again, saying it carries negative connotations and is offensive to Hindus.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) president T Ganesan said the organisation accepted Anwar’s apology in good faith and commended the prime minister for openly acknowledging his mistake.
He said a national leader’s willingness to admit an error and apologise reflected responsible leadership while strengthening public trust, mutual respect, and national unity.
“While accepting the apology in good faith, MHS stresses that the term ‘illegal temple’ must be permanently discontinued in public discourse.
“The term should no longer be used by political leaders, civil servants, enforcement agencies, media organisations, or any individual when referring to places of worship,” said Ganesan (above) in a statement.
Speaking to more than 1,000 people at an event in Seremban on Thursday, Anwar asked the Indian community to forgive him for mistakenly using the term “illegal temple” when referring to a place of worship built on disputed land.
The Pakatan Harapan chairperson acknowledged that using the term was a mistake.
Political undertones
Anwar faced criticism last year amid a controversy involving a Hindu temple on disputed land after he reportedly described the place of worship as an “illegal temple”.
He was also criticised over remarks made during the groundbreaking ceremony for a mosque at the same site, when he described the project as a “victory”.
Ganesan said the term carried negative connotations that stigmatised Hindu temples, hurt devotees’ sentiments, and undermined the dignity of places of worship.
He noted that many Hindu temples in Malaysia hold historical, cultural, and spiritual significance, with some predating the country’s modern land administration system.
As such, he said administrative or land ownership issues should not be used to determine the legitimacy or sanctity of a place of worship.
MHS urged all parties to adopt more neutral and administratively accurate terms, such as “temples without land registration”, when referring to places of worship facing documentation or land-related issues.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) president P Punithan said the party accepted Anwar’s apology but linked the matter to political support.
“If PMX (Anwar) asks for forgiveness, we forgive him. If PMX asks for our votes, we apologise,” read a graphic Punithan shared with Malaysiakini.
MIPP is a component party of Perikatan Nasional.
In a separate development, Malaysian Advancement Party (MAP) president P Waythamoorthy took a different stance, urging the public not to accept Anwar’s apology.
The Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader reiterated his allegation that the use of the term had contributed to racial and religious tensions, and called on the government to take more comprehensive corrective measures.
He also called for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry to assess the state of racial and religious harmony and recommend reforms. - Mkini
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