Former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo today said the previous state government led by BN was resolving the temple relocation issue in Shah Alam contrary to allegations that suggested otherwise.

NONE Khir, who is now state opposition leader, said the previous BN administration had initially allocated land in Section 18 for a non-Muslim place of worship and this was ready in 2007, with fully equipped infrastructure worth RM600,000.

Speaking to reporters at the proposed site in Sungai Renggam, Shah Alam, Khir said the seven-lot site was "suitable and it was never BN's fault as we allocated a strategic place."

"I think there is no other state (government) in history willing to provide such infrastructure to build a non-Muslim place of worship," he added.

However, Khir said the BN government had to subsequently propose another site in Section 22 following the objection from the Hindu community to the site allocated in Section 18.

He added that the Section 22 location was also agreed to by the Malay residents of Section 23. However, the infrastructure was not completed in Section 22 as BN lost the state in the last general election.

'Not a valid reason'

The Section 18 site is situated beside a Telekom building and a river to separate it from a mosque and another Hindu temple. The site is currently being used by car enthusiasts for motor sport of ‘drifting’.

azlan The current Pakatan Rakyat state government has proposed that the temple be relocated to Section 23, and this led its Muslim residents to stage a protest last Friday.

However, the protest became controversial when a severed cow’s head was paraded. The animal is considered sacred to Hindus.

Back in 2005, the Hindu community had objected to the Section 18 proposal since there were already three temples in the area and wanted the temple to be constructed in a different section to cater for devotees living there.

However, Mohd Khir said this was not a valid reason as there were many places where temples "stand side by side."

"Along Jalan Puchong for example, they have temples built side by side because we all know that they have different gods," he added.

PAS MP: Khir's proposal was worse

In an immediate reaction, Shah Alam PAS MP Khalid Abdul Samad said Khir's previous proposal would have been more 'insensitive' towards Muslims in the long run.

khalid samad 160609 03 According to him, Khir (when he was the menteri besar) proposed a 'temple complex' where seven temples, six Hindu temples and one Sikh temple, would be located in one place.

Khalid also pointed out that Section 18 was also a Malay-majority area. "And the mosque that is located opposite to the site is even closer compared with the distance in Section 23."

Commenting on the RM600,000 spent on the infrastructure in Section 18 for a non-Muslim place of worship, Khalid described it as a "waste of money."

Meanwhile, state exco Dr Xavier Jayakumar also criticised Khir over his remarks, claiming that he had never solved the problem.

"If his proposal was such a great idea, why did the people reject it? If it was approved so long ago, why has the temple not moved yet?" he asked.