SHAH ALAM, Feb 12 — Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari has hailed the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj's decree, which directed the local authorities to examine every application for the construction of places of worship in a fair, transparent, and orderly manner.
His Royal Highness's decree aligns with the state government's position and proactive approach, implemented through control and monitoring mechanisms under the Special Committee for Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Taoist Affairs (LIMAS).
“This concern shown by His Royal Highness will be coordinated with follow-up actions by the relevant State Executive Council. We humbly abide by the Sultan's decree,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Earlier, Sultan Sharafuddin's private secretary Dato' Mohamad Munir Bani said the Ruler had stressed that all existing legal provisions must be fully complied with and not set aside in managing issues related to the construction of places of worship in the state.
In a related development, Amirudin said that Selangor will continue to manage issues involving unauthorised places of worship through a structured system that has been practised for the past 15 years, combining legal enforcement with mediation methods to resolve disputes.
The state government is maintaining an official mechanism through a state-level committee to regulate unauthorised places of worship, thereby ensuring that harmony among followers of different religions is preserved.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also stressed that the government has empowered local authorities nationwide to take action against places of worship, including temples built on unauthorised sites.
While acknowledging that the decision could potentially spark controversy, he said that Malaysia is a country founded on the rule of law, which must be respected by all parties.
On his part, Munir said the Federal government’s stance is in line with Selangor’s policy, which emphasises the importance of compliance with the law to safeguard social harmony and public order.
