(Malaysiakini) Selangor's decision to bar the establishment of non-Muslim places of worship in residential areas has irked the MIC, which has demanded that the ruling be retracted.
Describing the decision as short-sighted, MIC president S Samy Vellu said that the Selangor government has demonstrated a lack of understanding in managing race relations.
“Do you mean to say that Muslims and non-Muslims can't live together? Did you not promise your electorate that should your party win (in the last general election), you will be fair to all races and treat them equally,” asked Samy Vellu in a statement today.
Samy Vellu (left) was commenting on a news report on Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim's response to a question posed in the Selangor state legislative assembly yesterday.
According to the report, Khalid, responding to a question by Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua), had said that non-Muslim house of worship cannot be constructed to avert racial tensions.
He said that the new ruling was made following the infamous 'cow-head protest', which saw residents of Section 23 Shah Alam demonstrating with a severed cow head, in protest at the relocation of a Hindu temple to the area.
Khalid 'playing with fire'
Samy Vellu added that Khalid's new ruling appears to be an attempt to systematically divide the Muslims and non-Muslims.
“Tell me a place where there is no majority of Muslims in a residential area. Where else will non-Muslims find a place to build their places of worship?
“I wish to remind Khalid that Pakatan Rakyat won in Selangor in the 2008 general election due to the demolition of a Hindu temple in Kampung Padang Jawa, near Shah Alam, Selangor in October 2007, and now he wants to ban the construction of temples in Muslim areas,” he said in the statement.
He said that Khalid must not “play with fire” by questioning the freedom of religion to all Malaysians enshrined in the federal constitution.
“That freedom gives every citizen in this country the right to build a place of worship in residential areas, irrespective of whether they are made up of majority Muslims or non-Muslims,” he said.
He said that the Selangor government should retract the ruling or face the political consequences.
Describing the decision as short-sighted, MIC president S Samy Vellu said that the Selangor government has demonstrated a lack of understanding in managing race relations.
“Do you mean to say that Muslims and non-Muslims can't live together? Did you not promise your electorate that should your party win (in the last general election), you will be fair to all races and treat them equally,” asked Samy Vellu in a statement today. Samy Vellu (left) was commenting on a news report on Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim's response to a question posed in the Selangor state legislative assembly yesterday.
According to the report, Khalid, responding to a question by Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua), had said that non-Muslim house of worship cannot be constructed to avert racial tensions.
He said that the new ruling was made following the infamous 'cow-head protest', which saw residents of Section 23 Shah Alam demonstrating with a severed cow head, in protest at the relocation of a Hindu temple to the area.
Khalid 'playing with fire'
Samy Vellu added that Khalid's new ruling appears to be an attempt to systematically divide the Muslims and non-Muslims.
“Tell me a place where there is no majority of Muslims in a residential area. Where else will non-Muslims find a place to build their places of worship?
“I wish to remind Khalid that Pakatan Rakyat won in Selangor in the 2008 general election due to the demolition of a Hindu temple in Kampung Padang Jawa, near Shah Alam, Selangor in October 2007, and now he wants to ban the construction of temples in Muslim areas,” he said in the statement.
He said that Khalid must not “play with fire” by questioning the freedom of religion to all Malaysians enshrined in the federal constitution.
“That freedom gives every citizen in this country the right to build a place of worship in residential areas, irrespective of whether they are made up of majority Muslims or non-Muslims,” he said.
He said that the Selangor government should retract the ruling or face the political consequences.
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