Hindu temple site not to be shifted: Malaysian authorities

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 19 (PTI) A Hindu temple proposed to be
constructed at a Muslim-majority suburb in Malaysia will not
be relocated despite protests by the local residents,
authorities have said.

Chief Minister Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said there were no
plans to move the temple site.

"For the time being, we are proceeding with the plan and
we will explain this to the Section 23 residents," he said
Tuesday.

The residents of Sector 23 of Shah Alam suburb had
demanded the proposed shrine be shifted to the neighbouring
Sector 22 where it had been slotted to be constructed by the
previous state government.

According to the locals, 70 per cent of those who live in
the area are Muslim Malays while 17 per cent are ethnic
Indians.

Blaming the previous government, Khalid said the shrine
was relocated from its original place in Sector 19 which led
to the present controversy in the area.

"Politically, the temple issue is the problem of the
previous state government.

On Sunday, around 200 Muslim residents held protest
against the government's move.

Multi-ethnic Malaysia has 60 per cent Muslim population,
while ethnic Chinese form 25 per cent with most being either
Christians or Buddhists. Ethnic Indians constitute eight per
cent of the country's' total population of 27 million and a
majority of them are Hindus. PTI JB