SHAH ALAM, 21 Nov: The State Government has decided to make an appointment with the Local Authorities (PBT) and the Land Office to solve the issue of constructing non-Islamic places of worship on Selangor land reserves.
Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Exco member, Dr Xavier Jayakumar said that the meeting which is carried out four times a year will also be discussing processes which have to be implemented to avoid the problem from repeating.
He said that the majority of non-Islamic worship places were built when presented with the opportunity (to do so) by the previous Umno-BN government during their administration.
“Since 2008, we have sent out a requisite to all Local Governments and Land Offices to not allow any places of worship to be built without the approval of the committee or council members.”
“For places of worship built on private land, we have to check out the zoning (rules) as well as the size of the place and ask the committee or council members to monitor the condition of the place. Each place has its priorities. We have to consider and note the sensitivity of the residents before following through with any action.”
“I am not saying that we cannot completely change the land regulations which have been asked. But there are ways and processes to do it,” he said when answering additional questions by Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang).
He added that since 2008 till now, as many as 24 worship place land reserves apart from Islamic ones have been gazetted with an area of 35,845.843 square meters.
Among them are places in Hulu selangor (1), Hulu Langat (4), Kuala Selangor (2), Petaling Jaya (2), Sepang (1), Kuala Langat (1), Gombak (4) and Klang (9).
He stressed that the State Government will not arbitrarily carry out actions to gazette or seize land reserves, instead it will be done according to procedures which have been stated under section 64 of the land code.
“The process and procedures for cancelling the reservation is to bring it up in every land office and district under the law. Motion papers for the proposed cancellation of this reserve will be escalated to the Chief Minister for consideration under the 1984 delegation of authority, by the state authorities.”
“After that, investigation will be carried out accompanied by officers and agencies concerned. Only then, cancelation will precede effective the date the cancellation is completed,” he added.