KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — A Selangor official should not condemn the protesters who forced a church to remove its cross in Taman Medan as it was operating illegally, the local chapter of Perkasa said today.
Selangor Perkasa chief Abu Bakar Yahya said that Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong was wrong to have disputed the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) for saying that the church did not have the necessary permits.
Wong said the Selangor state committee on non-Islamic affairs (HESI) has since 2008 allowed churches to operate in commercial premises without permits and required only that it be notified.
“We (Selangor Perkasa) feel that Elizabeth’s statement runs contrary to MBPJ’s statement which had stated that any religious centres operating in commercial areas must abide by Act 133 Section 70 (12) of the local laws,” Abu Bakar said in a statement here.
The law on the matter clearly stated that official permission must be obtained before the church could operate legally in Taman Medan, he added.
“In addition, the church does not have permission to hang the cross on their premise before getting consent from MBPJ,” the Perkasa leader stressed.
During the protest last Sunday, some 50 Muslim residents of Taman Medan urged the newly-opened church to take down the cross it had affixed to its facade, claiming it is a challenge to Muslims in the area and could influence youths.
The church removed the cross shortly after.
The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) later declared the church illegal as it has not applied for a permit to operate as a house of worship but this was contradicted shortly after by the Selangor administration.
However, despite the Selangor government’s assurance and advice to return the cross to its original site, a check by Malay Mail Online at the church premise yesterday revealed that it has yet to replace the symbol.
