Temple attack un-Islamic, say PAS and Ikatan

Ravin Palanisamy Ravin Palanisamy Updated 5 years ago · Published on 26 Nov 2018 9:14PM · 2 Comments

PAS Kota Raja division chairman Mohamed Diah (fourth from left) and Ikatan deputy vice president Mohammad Badri Abd Rahman (bottom left) meet with Seafield Temple Taskforce leader S. Ramaji today to show their support for the temple. – The Malaysian Insight pic, November 26, 2018.

MEMBERS of Islamic parties PAS and Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) visited the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ25, Subang Jaya to make peace with devotees after an early morning attack by masked men.

PAS Kota Raja division chairman Mohamed Diah and Ikatan deputy vice president Mohammad Badri Abd Rahman met Seafield Temple Taskforce leader S. Ramaji at the temple to stress that the incident, which involved some Malays, was not in line with Islam’s teachings.

“This is not the doing of Islam. This is the doing of gangsters who wrongly portray and tarnish the name of Islam.

“On behalf of Islam, I am so sorry for what happened,” Badri told S. Ramaji.

Diah said Malaysians should not use the intrusion and violence to spew racial hatred.

“I came here to plead (for us) to be in harmony. We are together on this issue. Let us handle this in a diplomatic manner,” he told Ramaji during the meeting.

Selangor police and state Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said earlier that the 2.15am incident was not racial in nature.

The fracas is believed to be over the temple’s defiance of an eviction notice by the private developer which owns the land.

Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor said in a press conference earlier today that about 50 Malay men had been involved.

A large group of men with knives had arrived in the pre-dawn hours and intimidated devotees into leaving the temple.

Scuffles ensued. 18 vehicles were torched and a few people injured.

A chariot damaged in this morning's incident at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ25, Subang Jaya. A large group of men with knives had arrived in the pre-dawn hours of today and intimidated devotees into leaving the temple. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, November 26, 2018.

The group held a few devotees at knifepoint until some 100 police personnel arrived.

The developer and owner of the land, One City Development Sdn Bhd, has denied engaging any group to enforce the eviction notice.

One City has owned the land since 2007. In disputes with the temple, which has been a site of worship for Indian estate workers since 1891, the Shah Alam high court in September ordered the temple to vacate the premises before October 25 to a new site that had been allocated.

After a standoff on the deadline, the developer relented and agreed to postpone the relocation to after Deepavali.

The temple is now seeking to challenge the eviction and relocation in court this Thursday. – November 26, 2018.

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Comments

  • If this fracas is not the work of Islam, why is Badri apologising to S. Ramaji on behalf of Islam? What about Jamal Jamban and his red shirts threatening other races and smashing beer bottles in the public, is that Islam?

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • Let the police handle the fracas, apology has been extended by both parties on the incidents happened, we should be looking at ways to control the damage done and build on the peaceful effort to patch up the difference. It ain't easy but it is way better than instigating and reopening of the wound.

    Posted 5 years ago by Butter Scotch · Reply