Gobind Singh Deo urges Attorney-General to address inaction over threats to places of worship

While efforts have been made to resolve disputes concerning places of worship, certain quarters continue to threaten their demolition. Despite numerous police reports, there remains a total lack of follow-up action by the Attorney-General, says Gobind Singh Deo.

PUTRAJAYA: The Attorney-General (AG) must provide an immediate and clear explanation regarding the lack of prosecution against individuals threatening to unilaterally demolish places of worship, said national DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo.

Gobind, who is also the Damansara MP and Digital Minister, noted that several issues have been raised concerning the legal status of the land on which some of these structures are built.

“These issues have arisen for various reasons. Most states have already developed robust mechanisms to address them, resulting in many cases being resolved peacefully and through due process,” said Gobind in a statement this evening.

“These legal processes ensure that the law, through the application of the relevant facts, dictates the outcome in each particular case. While efforts have been made to resolve these matters, certain quarters continue to threaten the demolition of these structures, taking the law into their own hands. This has created serious concerns, leading to the filing of multiple police reports.”

He added that despite these reports, there appears to be a total lack of follow-up action.

“Issues surrounding places of worship are inherently sensitive and must be handled with the utmost care to preserve public order and harmony,” Gobind added.

“I have raised this matter in Cabinet on numerous occasions. However, the final authority to prosecute rests with the AG.

“He must explain why the response has been so slow thus far, and what he intends to do to change the growing perception of inaction.”