Latest news with #DewiSriPathrakaliamman
South China Morning Post
01-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hindu temples in Malaysia to meet over land issues as relocation saga simmers
More than 2,000 Hindu temples across Malaysia will send representatives to a mass community meeting in Kuala Lumpur this weekend to discuss issues over land occupied by them, as blowback from a temple relocation in the capital refuses to abate. Advertisement The land rights of Malaysia's 2 million-strong Hindu community were thrust into the spotlight by the row over the relocation of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple to make way for the construction of a new mosque. Observers say the row has been fanned by Muslim hardliners scoring cheap political points, which has led to Hindu temples with alleged discrepancies over land ownership being tagged by their critics on social media. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim last Thursday presided over the groundbreaking of the new mosque. However, he was still accused by Muslim hardliners of handing Hindus a free piece of prime real estate by relocating their temple to a site just 50 metres away. The temple furore has prompted questions about the land rights of many of Malaysia's thousands of temples – many established during the colonial era when Indian labourers were brought in by British administrators. Advertisement The Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS), which represents the country's Hindus, said decades of ad hoc solutions by government leaders were no longer tenable due to the pernicious impact of social media on public discourse.
South China Morning Post
26-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Relocation of Hindu temple in Malaysia fuels accusations of special privileges
A proposed relocation of a Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur to make way for a mosque has continued to spark anger among some members of Malaysia 's Muslim community, who accuse authorities of granting special privileges for the move to a prime area. Advertisement The land occupied by the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple, which was originally built without a land deed, was sold to Malaysian textile giant Jakel in 2014. The temple's location at Munsyi Abdullah Street has stood for 130 years, according to its committee. Jakel has plans to build a mosque on the temple site for years. On Tuesday, the committee said it had agreed with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall for the temple's relocation to a nearby site. It came just two days before Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was due to lay the foundation stone for the new mosque called Masjid Madani, named after Anwar's administration slogan, Malaysia Madani. But the move has alarmed Hindu advocacy groups and spurred an ongoing backlash from some segments of the Muslim-majority community. Advertisement The Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS), which represents the country's 2 million Hindus, has proposed setting up a special body to address land issues linked to temples across Malaysia. It said many of them were built with the permission of British colonial authorities, but those land rights were not formalised after Malaysia gained independence in 1957.
South China Morning Post
24-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Bid to relocate Hindu temple for mosque in Malaysia's capital stirs debate over faith, land
The suggested relocation of a Hindu temple in Malaysia 's capital to make way for a mosque has drawn public backlash, highlighting long-standing grievances over religious equity and urban redevelopment in Malaysia. Advertisement The Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple, set in a small but desirable space between a block of flats and textile shops in central Kuala Lumpur, faces an uncertain future after the land it occupies was sold to textile giant Jakel, which plans to build a mosque on the site. Located in the Masjid India neighbourhood – named after the 140-year-old Tamil Muslim mosque that anchors it – the Hindu temple claims to trace its foundation to just 10 years after the Muslim place of worship was built. It originally sat on government land before that was sold to Jakel in 2014. The company's late founder, Mohamed Jakel Ahmad, bought the plot with the intention of building what would be the fourth mosque in the area and gifting it to the Muslim community. But the issue rumbled on without concrete action until recent weeks. The groundbreaking of the new mosque is reportedly set for this Thursday, officiated by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim The Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple is set in a small but desirable space between a block of flats and textile shops in central Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Facebook/Yuefo Amulets Lawyers for Liberty executive director Zaid Malek questioned the rush, saying the discussion between the temple, Jakel, and the city hall was still ongoing.
