PM announces new rules for building places of worship

The construction of places of worship will soon require prior approval from local authorities, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced today. 

Mahathir was responding to a question on how Putrajaya would prevent scenes like the riots over the relocation of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya from reoccurring. 

He stressed that places of worship cannot be built without regard to landowners. 

"The problem is that temples are being built anywhere, even in other people's land. That is a problem that this we are seeing today.

"Many temples are built on land that does not belong to the temple owner. 

"So now the government will pass a resolution and make it a condition that houses of worship, like mosques or temples or churches, cannot be built without the permission of the local authority," he told reporters during a press conference at Bersatu headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

"They cannot build on land that doesn't belong to them. That will solve the problem.

"The problem now is temples are being built without any regard as to who owns the land. And later on, when we claim the owner wants the land back, there is a problem," he added.

[More to follow] - Mkini