KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 ― A local councillor yesterday insisted that the construction of a church that triggered Muslim objections in Bandar Sunway was approved according to existing rules.

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) had gazetted the vacant plot of land ― which is adjacent to the Mentari Court Apartment blocks and opposite the Damai low-cost flats in Bandar Sunway ― for a non-Muslim place of worship way back in 2001, said councillor Cynthia Gabriel.

“From the information I had received from MBPJ, every procedure was followed and all legal requirements were met before the approval was given,” she told Malay Mail Online.

Gabriel pointed out that MBPJ's local plans are “usually” specific on which non-Muslim religious institution the alienated plot is dedicated for.

However, she could not confirm if the plot in question has been gazetted for a Christian place of worship.

“Nevertheless, the public hearings were conducted and every other procedure was followed,” stressed Gabriel.

The Praise Emmanuel Assembly Church had applied to build a four-storey building along Jalan PJS 8/9 in 2012.

According to the notice at the construction site, the church will include parking bay, a prayer area, and two mezzanine floors.

This construction, however, has drawn objections from a small group of residents and a Malay rights NGO, Pertubuhan Sahabat, who protested against the construction of another church in the vicinity. 

The protesters claimed that there were three other churches in the area, although close to 70 per cent of the residents in the area are Muslims and predominantly Malay, alluding that a “covert agenda” of christianisation.

They also charged that it was an “insult” to Muslims to build a church there.

Pertubuhan Sahabat's spokesperson Ishak Maarof said that the residents had no qualms about setting up any other non-Muslim place of worship and proposed that the land is, instead, given to a Hindu temple claiming that 25 per cent of the residents in the high-rise residential units were Hindus.

“Even before the church has been built, flyers on Christianity has been distributed to our homes and this could confuse our children and divert them from the path of Islam,” claimed Ishak.

The vacant area was previously occupied by squatters, a car park and several food stalls.

This is the third of such protest by the residents and the NGO since August.

Ishak added that their Seri Setia constituency assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and MBPJ had turned a deaf ear to their concerns.

Nik Nazmi ccould not be reached for comments.