• மலேசியா P. Ramasamy Issues Urgent Call to Protect Hindu Temples from "Illegal" Labeling
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• ramani on 2026-03-09 17:54:51

 News By Maahgeshan KUALA LUMPUR, 

March 9, 2026 –

P. Ramasamy, Chairman of Urimai, has issued a strongly worded statement calling for a more nuanced and historically grounded approach to the management of Hindu temples in Malaysia. 

He warned that the increasing use of the term "illegal" to describe historical places of worship is being weaponized by extremist groups to undermine the identity of the Hindu community.

 

In a comprehensive critique of current administrative trends, Ramasamy argued that many temples labeled as "illegal" were established during the colonial era, long before modern land titles and legal frameworks were formalized. He asserted that dismissing these heritage sites as unlawful is not only "irresponsible" but "historically inaccurate."

 

The Burden of Governance

Addressing the issue of land ownership, Ramasamy noted that while some shrines may occupy land not owned by temple committees, the responsibility for a solution rests heavily on the state. He suggested that while relocation is a viable option, it must be contingent upon the Federal and State governments providing both adequate land and sufficient funding.

 

"If governments fail to provide land and funding for relocations, they forfeit the moral and political right to create an outcry by labeling these temples as 'illegal," Ramasamy stated.

The Urimai Chairman expressed concern over a precedent set last year involving a 130-year-old temple in the Masjid India area. He criticized the lack of protest from major Hindu organizations and the support of relocation plans by leaders from DAP, PKR, and MIC, which he claims emboldened extremist narratives.

 

Furthermore, Ramasamy took aim at recent attempts to categorize temples using a color-coded system. He cited an instance in Penang where an 80-year-old pre-independence temple was reportedly ordered to merge with another based on its "Red" status. He described such administrative moves as "childish," noting that they ignore the theological fundamental that temples are consecrated to specific deities and cannot be arbitrarily combined.

 

Ramasamy concluded by urging Hindu organizations to prioritize wisdom and historical research over political expediency. He reminded the nation that Hindu temples serve as living symbols of the "blood and sweat" shed by ancestors who contributed to the development of Malaysia.

 

"To remove these temples under the flimsy pretext of technical illegality is to attempt to erase the identity of Hindu Tamils in this country," he warned, adding that any such forced removals would inevitably be met with steadfast community resistance.