SUBANG JAYA, Feb 8 — The establishment of the Special Committee for Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Taoist Affairs (LIMAS) is a state government initiative to rehabilitate places of worship and address issues of unauthorised siting in Selangor.
Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said that prior to 2008, there was no structured verification mechanism in place to review the status of the construction of non-Islamic places of worship.
As a result, various cases arose involving unverified locations and site statuses, leading to prolonged issues.
“After 2008, we set up the Non-Islamic Places of Worship Committee (RISI), now known as LIMAS. We are not only rehabilitating places of worship; action is also taken,” he said.
Amirudin added that if any place of worship is built in an unsuitable area to the extent that it disrupts public order and harmony, the state government will take appropriate action.
“This includes demolishing or relocating the place of worship through proposals to construct it at another, more suitable location,” he said during the Chinese New Year celebration at Taman Rekreasi Wawasan in Puchong last night.
The Menteri Besar noted that the approach ensures Selangor's stability and prosperity, despite attempts by certain parties to manipulate issues related to places of worship.
“Together with the state administration, I want to safeguard the (Federal) Constitution and the Rukun Negara. Everyone has their own religion and beliefs,” Amirudin said.
However, he stressed that the construction of places of worship must not be carried out in a manner that disrupts public order and social harmony.
“Why are some parties raising this as a racial and religious issue? They are afraid of society living peacefully and in unity, as is the case in Selangor,” Amirudin said.
