Cops probing ‘illegal temple’ label for abuse of network facilities

 

Deputy IGP Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the labelling of temples as ‘illegal’ is being investigated under the Communications and Multimedia Act. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: 

Police are investigating the labelling of Hindu temples as illegal on Google Maps and Waze for abuse of network facilities under the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA), the deputy inspector-general of police said.

However, if the investigation finds that there are elements of sedition, police will investigate the matter under the Sedition Act, said Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

“But, generally, it does not go in that direction (sedition), so we will probe the matter under Section 233 of the CMA,” he told reporters here today.

The section prohibits the use of network facilities to transmit communications deemed offensive or likely to cause annoyance.

Last Sunday, the deputy chairman of an Indian-based party called on the government to work with Google to remove the “illegal temple” label which appears alongside Hindu temples searched on Google Maps.

Urimai’s David Marshel also urged communications minister Fahmi Fadzil to investigate those responsible for this, saying it was disrespectful to the Hindu community.

A check by FMT on Waze, a Google subsidiary, also found the “illegal temple” label.

The issue comes two days after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission summoned the administrator of a Facebook group dedicated to finding allegedly illegal temples nationwide.

Land rights for old Hindu temples have become a controversial topic recently after the plan to relocate the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple to make way for the construction of Masjid Madani sparked a public backlash.

The issue was resolved when the government revealed that the 130-year-old temple had accepted a plot 50m away from its current site for relocation, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim calling it a “win-win solution”. - FMT