PETALING JAYA: The Attorney General (AG) must explain the lack of prosecution of individuals who have threatened to demolish places of worship unilaterally, says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
He said such issues are sensitive and affect public order and harmony.
“The AG must provide an immediate and clear explanation for the lack of prosecution against individuals who have threatened to demolish places of worship unilaterally.
“Despite numerous police reports, there appears to have been little follow-up action.
“Issues surrounding places of worship are inherently sensitive and must be handled carefully to preserve public order and harmony,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Gobind, who is also DAP national chairman and Damansara MP, said disputes involving religious structures were often centred on land status and were usually resolved through legal channels.
He said many states had developed “robust mechanisms” to manage such cases, with numerous matters settled peacefully through due process.
However, he said some quarters were still threatening to demolish such structures and “taking matters into their own hands”, prompting concern and police reports.
“I have raised this matter in the Cabinet on numerous occasions.
“However, the final authority to prosecute rests with the AG,” he said, adding that the AG must explain the perceived slow response and what steps would be taken to address growing public concern over inaction.
Gobind’s statement comes amid recent police reports linked to alleged threats involving a Hindu temple in Penang.
On March 3, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer lodged a police report over a Facebook post by independent preacher Zamri Vinoth, alleging it contained provocation and a threat to demolish a temple located in front of Hospital Bukit Mertajam, with the incident purportedly planned for March 7.
Zamri later denied calling for any illegal demolition, saying he was urging the government to act, arguing that the issue concerned zoning and access to the hospital.
Separately, on March 4, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim, who is also Bukit Mertajam MP, urged organisers to call off a demonstration against the temple, warning it could raise tensions.
Similar sensitivities have surfaced elsewhere, including the partial demolition of a temple in Rawang, Selangor, in February, which police said was linked to a land dispute and alleged encroachment, not race or religion.
