Penang opposition leader wants Taoist shrine moved from park

GEORGE TOWN, May 13 — Penang Opposition Leader Datuk Jahara Hamid called today for a Taoist shrine to be removed from a public park, saying some Muslims could be confused.

In her debate on the motion of thanks to the Penang Governor’s speech today, she asked the reasons for placing the Datuk Kong shrine, where Chinese Taoists usually place offerings for blessings, in the recently refurbished Armenian Park.

“The park designers have put a compound spirit element with idols in it. This is a western-influenced design,” said the Teluk Ayer Tawar assemblyman from Umno.

Jahara said the refurbishment of the park, which is located in the George Town heritage core zone, must take into account the sensitivities of other races.

“Muslims will not go pray there for sure, but some may become confused,” she added.

At this point, Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng from the DAP interjected by pointing out that the shrine was already in the park before it was refurbished.

“It was already there. So when they refurbished the park, they place it back in the park,” he explained.

Armenian Park will undergo redevelopment soon. — Picture by K.E.Ooi

Jahara then insisted that the shrine be moved to an obscure corner instead of being right out in the open.

“It was originally there. This is 1Malaysia when it comes to religion,” Teh said, before Jahara interrupted him by saying the shrine should be separated from the public park.

“What is there to separate? It was originally there; it was moved to a location near its old location. Are you saying the Chinese cannot pray there?” he asked.

Jahara then responded by saying she’s not against places of worship, but that the shrine should not be a feature in a public park.

She added that heritage and religion should not be mixed.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also joined in the fray to say the park was rebuilt with its existing features maintained.

“This park was refurbished by the Penang Island City Council and Think City, a federal agency involved in heritage. They are not involved in any religion. They were rebuilding a park, not building spirits, there are no spirits,” he said.

He added that there were no objections to the park refurbishment and told Jahara “it is not good to raise such things”.