The recent announcements by Paparaidu the Selangor Exco member and FT minister identifying 688 temples in Selangor and 163 in FT  as “unapproved” are deeply troubling—not because of the data, but because of the dangerous narrative being built around it.

Labeling these temples as “illegal” without first establishing their historical origins is not just inaccurate—it is irresponsible.

For over a year, MAP and Hindraf have repeatedly called on the Prime Minister who caused the first uproar in March 2025, to convene a Special Cabinet Meeting and declassify historical records relating to British-era migration and settlement policies . Those calls have been ignored by the PM while he continued to create false narrative to the Hindu temple issue.

Now, we are presented with numbers—688 temples in Selangor, 163 in Kuala Lumpur—but no truth behind the numbers.

Where is the breakdown?

Without these answers, any suggestion that these temples were “unapproved” or “built on government land” is fiction intended to sweep the issue under the carpet.

The Indian community did not arrive in Malaya by chance. They were brought here under British policy with the consent of the then Rulers to build the very foundations of this nation—its plantations, railways, roads, and public institutions. These were intended to be permanent settlements, not temporary labour camps.

Temples were not an afterthought. They were part of a structured social system encouraged by the then authorities that enabled these communities to live, work, and remain, but failed to ensure their settlements or places of worship were given land titles as they did not have political representation then.

To now turn around decades later and brand these same temples as “unapproved” and “built on government land” is to rewrite history and criminalise heritage.

This is not governance. This is narrative manipulation.

Worse, this narrative has real consequences. It fuels public misunderstanding, emboldens extremist rhetoric, and undermines the fragile trust that holds our multiracial society together—as already warned in earlier correspondence .

The government cannot claim to stand for unity while allowing a false narrative to take root.

We demand immediate action. Perhaps Paparaiduand Hannah Yeoh could put some sense to their so called Madani PM to:

Until the full history is laid bare, the claim that these temples were “unapproved” or “built on government land” is a damaging myth that must be rejected.

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

President/Chair

Malaysian Advancement Party

HINDRAF

26.4.2026

The fire that destroyed homes in Sandakan on 19th April 2026  is a devastating tragedy for the communities living in its water villages. Reports indicate that around 1,000 homes were destroyed, affecting more than 9,000 residents, leaving them without shelter overnight. These residents are not temporary occupants—they are natural inhabitants of the sea, with generations of cultural, economic, and social ties rooted in these coastal environments.

I do not wish to speculate on the actual cause of this particular incident or the apparent failure to contain the fire. However, the scale and consequences of the disaster inevitably give rise to a troubling feeling—I cannot help but feel that something is amiss, and there may be unseen or mysterious hands at play. This concern is heightened by the fact that, across Sandakan and other districts, authorities have periodically proposed relocating water village residents to public housing projects and land-based resettlement schemes, often citing fire risk and safety concerns, sanitation and public health, as well as broader urban planning and redevelopment goals without taking into consideration the ancient way of living of these communities.

The convergence of such longstanding relocation pressuresraises difficult questions. While nothing can be asserted without evidence, such incidents can, intentionally or otherwise, be used as an opportunity to justify permanent eviction. This underscores the importance of transparency, accountability, and a firm commitment to protecting the rights of the affected communities.

This disaster must not be used as a justification to permanently displace them from their rightful homes. The government has a responsibility to ensure that affected families are allowed to rebuild in the same location, preserving both their way of life and their connection to the sea. Relocation policies that disregard these ties risk erasing entire communities and traditions.

There is also a broader concern that, in the aftermath of such incidents, redevelopment priorities may shift toward commercial interests, including tourism or resort projects, at the expense of local residents. This has been observed in other cases, and it raises legitimate questions about long-term intentions.

Ultimately, recovery efforts should focus on restoring homes, livelihoods, and dignity, not displacing people from the environments they have long called home.

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

Hampir sebulan telah berlalu sejak Mahkamah Agung Amerika Syarikat memutuskan bahawa tarif yang dikenakan oleh Donald Trump adalah tidak berperlembagaan — tarif yang sama yang menjadi asas kepada Perjanjian Perdagangan Timbal Balik Malaysia–Amerika Syarikat yang ditandatangani oleh Anwar Ibrahim pada Oktober lalu.

*Namun begitu, Perdana Menteri masih belum menangani isu ini. Selepas membuat begitu banyak gembar-gembur semasa majlis menandatangani perjanjian itu, Anwar Ibrahim kini secara pengecut mengelak daripada mengambil atau gagal mengambil pendirian yang jelas susulan keputusan Mahkamah Agung Amerika Syarikat. Ketika kamera terpasang, Perdana Menteri begitu lantang bersuara. Namun apabila asas kepada perjanjian tersebut telah dibatalkan oleh mahkamah tertinggi di Amerika Syarikat, beliau memilih untuk terus berdiam diri daripada mempertahankan kepentingan Malaysia dengan jelas dan tegas.*

Rakyat Malaysia berhak mendapat penjelasan mengapa PM Anwar Ibrahim masih berdiam diri, sedangkan asas perundangan kepada perjanjian yang beliau tandatangani itu sudah tidak lagi sah. Perniagaan, pengeksport dan pelabur memerlukan kepastian, tetapi sehingga kini Perdana Menteri masih belum memberikan jawapan yang jelas.

Saya memuji Menteri Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri Johari Ghani atas keterbukaannya mengesahkan bahawa perjanjian tersebut secara berkesan telah terbatal. Tahap kejelasan seperti ini sepatutnya diberikan oleh Perdana Menteri lebih awal.

*Kepimpinan bukan tentang peluang bergambar, pengumuman besar, kemegahan menaiki The Beast secara percuma atau menerima pen percuma dari Rumah Putih. Kepimpinan adalah tentang memikul tanggungjawab apabila keadaan berubah.*

PM Anwar Ibrahim kini perlu bertindak dalam kapasiti beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri. Beliau mesti secara rasmi memaklumkan kepada Donald Trump dan pihak berkuasa Amerika Syarikat yang berkaitan bahawa Malaysia menganggap perjanjian tersebut tidak sah dan tidak boleh dipertahankan berikutan keputusan Mahkamah Agung Amerika Syarikat.
Malaysia tidak boleh terikat kepada perjanjian perdagangan yang dibina atas tarif yang telah diisytiharkan tidak berperlembagaan oleh mahkamah tertinggi di Amerika Syarikat sendiri.
Semakin lama Perdana Menteri berlengah, semakin timbul persoalan: apakah sebenarnya yang beliau takut untuk katakan?

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
Presiden 
Malaysia Advancement Party
15.3.2026

Nearly a month has passed since the United States Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump’s tariffs were unconstitutional — the very tariffs that formed the basis of the Malaysia–US Agreement on Reciprocal Trade signed by Anwar Ibrahim last October.

However, the Prime Minister has not addressed this issue.

Malaysians deserve an explanation for the lack of response from Anwar Ibrahim, given that the legal foundation of the agreement he signed is no longer valid. Businesses, exporters, and investors require clarity as the Prime Minister has yet to provide a direct answer.

I commend Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Johari Ghani for his transparency in confirming that the deal is effectively cancelled. This level of clarity should have been provided by the Prime Minister earlier.

Leadership is not about photo opportunities, grand announcements, glory of a free ride in The Beast and a free White House pen. Leadership is about taking responsibility when circumstances change.

Anwar Ibrahim should now act in his capacity as Prime Minister. He must formally notify Donald Trump and the relevant US authorities that Malaysia considers the agreement unlawful and untenable in light of the US Supreme Court's ruling.

Malaysia cannot be bound to a trade deal built on tariffs that the highest court in the United States itself has declared unconstitutional.

The longer the Prime Minister delays, the more it raises the question: what exactly is he afraid to say?

The  warning by Minister Gobind Singh Deo that police inaction in cases involving religion could threaten national stability should be taken seriously by every Malaysian who values peace and harmony in our multi-racial society.

Yet the conduct of the Home Minister, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, raises serious and disturbing questions about whether the government itself truly believes in the principles it publicly proclaims.

It is deeply alarming that the Home Minister — the very person responsible for overseeing the police and internal security — has reportedly met with a well-known hate preacher who has been the subject of hundreds of police reports over the years for inflammatory and statements that have repeatedly stirred hostility between Malaysia’s religious and ethnic communities. This individual has long built a reputation for spreading divisive rhetoric and provoking tensions among Malaysians of different faiths, and has been emboldened by the recent “endorsement” by Saifuddin.

For years, Malaysians have been told that provocative statements touching on race and religion will be dealt with firmly under the law. Even the Sultan Perak last year reminded authorities and Malaysians on the need to maintain peaceful co-existence. Yet when it comes to certain individuals, the law appears to move at a glacial pace — if at all.

The question Malaysians are entitled to ask is simple: why does someone with such a long record of incitement and hate speech appear to enjoy protection from prosecutionand a Madani Minister?

The Home Minister’s meeting with such a figure sends an extremely troubling message to the public. Instead of demonstrating zero tolerance toward those who sow hatred and division, the government appears willing to grant them legitimacy and access at the highest levels of authority.

These contradictions expose a glaring hypocrisy within the so-called “Madani” government. While Gobind rightly warn about the dangers of religious extremism and inflammatory rhetoric, the Home Minister, Saifuddin NasutionIsmail, appears willing to meet and legitimise a figure widely known for spreading division and hostility among Malaysia’s communities.

In light of this troubling episode, the leadership of the DAP must demand an immediate explanation from the Home Minister. If the government is truly committed to unity and the rule of law, it cannot appear to extend legitimacy or protection to individuals accused of promoting hatred and division.

Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy

President

Malaysian Advancement Party

12.3.2026