KUALA LUMPUR – MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to direct all government departments and agencies to cease using the term kuil haram (illegal temple) when referring to Hindu places of worship.
The former human resources minister said the appeal follows a recent response from Hospital Taiping, in which the term was used in official correspondence regarding a complaint involving a temple located within the hospital grounds.
In the reply titled ‘Maklumbalas PCB 965228 – Aduan Kuil Haram’, the hospital’s deputy director Arni Nadhirah Abdul Hadi said that follow-up action was underway in accordance with established procedures.
Saravanan strongly objected to the language used in the letter, arguing that many of these temples had existed for decades – some dating back to the British and Japanese colonial periods, long before the introduction of the National Land Code in 1965.
“Labelling such places of worship as ‘haram’ is totally insensitive and disregards their strong historical and cultural significance.
“We trust the Madani government will take the necessary action to ensure the rights and sensitivities of all religions in the country are safeguarded,” he said in a statement after submitting his letter to the Prime Minister’s Office this morning.
According to Saravanan, early Indian labourers built temples close to their workplaces, often with the approval of colonial or local authorities of the time. After the fragmentation of estates in later years, the responsibility of maintaining these temples shifted to local communities.
He added that while many of the temples were initially located in remote or suburban areas, urbanisation has since brought city limits closer to these sites, creating the impression they now stand in town centres.
“Labelling houses of worship as ‘illegal temples’ is deeply offensive to Hindus,” said the Tapah MP.
The issue gained attention following the relocation of the 130-year-old Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur to make way for the construction of a mosque.
Anwar had previously explained that the temple was situated on land without the approval of both the current and former landowners. The decision to relocate it sparked online debates, with some questioning the legitimacy of similar temples nationwide.
On March 27, Anwar said the resolution reached over the Madani Mosque project at Jalan Munshi Abdullah was not meant to assert dominance, but rather a result of cooperation among stakeholders. – April 21, 2025