[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: The rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has criticized Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for his “heavy hand” and “unacceptable” defense of the demolition of a Hindu temple in Alor Setar.
LFL adviser N Surendran said that Sanusi had previously ignored how the Sri Madurai Veeran shrine demolished in July was built during the colonial era and therefore was not illegally built at the time.
He said that implying that the devotees had deliberately built the temple on land that did not belong to them was a misrepresentation of the facts.
“The demolished temple situation sums up the whole complicated problem of temple demolitions in Malaysia, in which temples originally built with permission during the colonial era were made ‘illegal’ by subsequent land sales or transfers decades later,” Surendran said in a statement. today.
“The approach taken by the Kedah government in this case, as well as by the authorities in general, in hiding behind the ‘illegality’ of the temple structure, reveals insensitivity or ignorance of the religious sentiments of the faithful.
“The structure of a temple cannot be treated like any other building. It has a religious and social value of great importance for the devotees who assist it, as well as for the larger Hindu community in the area. “
On Tuesday, the Alor Setar City Council demolished the Sri Raja Muniswarar Temple in Taman Bersatu, Kuala Kedah, which is said to be over 50 years old.
Sanusi said places of worship should be built with prior permission from the local government, adding that MIC should be banned if it incites people to break the law.
Surendran also criticized Sanusi for his comments about the MIC, telling him that freedom of expression is guaranteed by article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
He said state governments must be ready to accept and respond rationally to public criticism instead of making threats when elected by the people.
“We urge the Kedah government, as well as other Malaysian authorities dealing with temple disputes, to treat the matter with care, sensitivity and understanding of the circumstances and contexts in which the temples were erected.
“The authorities must involve all interested parties and intermediaries to ensure amicable resolutions and avoid forced demolitions of places of worship at all costs,” he said.
