Malaysians must be aware of Anwar Ibrahim’s rhetoric has inflamed religious sensitivities and disharmony by raising feelings of anger and hatred among a segment of the community.
The pig farming industry has existed in Malaysia since before Merdeka. For decades—even through 60 years of BN rule—it did not become a national flashpoint. Yet now, at a moment when Anwar’s leadership is under strain, mysterious forces appear to be stirring hostility toward this long-standing industry.
Similarly, the temples have existed up to 150 years before Merdeka during the colonial period. Historical records would clearly show there was an intention to settle the labour class of the Indians in the various states in Malaya to clear thick jungles, man rubber plantations, build roads, railways and government buildings. One of the ways devised to ensure these people remained in Malaya is to ensure an environment similar to their villages in South India was created.
Post Merdeka these large parcels of land were sold to private developers leaving thousands of these temples stranded on privately owned land.
Matters are made worse when the respective state governments refused to address those issues and grant land to companies and private owners without resolving the existence of these temples. Some of these lands are granted for purposes of building suraus and masjids that has caused uneasy and racial disharmony between these 2 religions. The matter could have been handled diligently by the respective MB’s
Anwar Ibrahim cannot claim ignorance of these long-standing realities. He speaks about rule of law yet justice requires the law to settle land issues that existed before the introduction of Torrens system and the National Land Code in 1965. He inherited a long standing problem but instead of finding a solution to the issue, he riles up Malaysians against one another to portray himself as the saviour of injustice and rule of law.
I do not deny there are issues where certain Hindu individuals have built temples knowing they are wrong to do so. Action must be taken but to lump every other Hindu temple as illegal- a phrase amplified by his irresponsible and reckless statement has caused so much of disunity among Malaysians. Some Malay brothers have taken his false statements and directions as a signal to take the law into their own hands. Strangely he chooses to call on “his friends” not to act on their own and respect the law.
*Malaysians must not be misled by Anwars dangerous political game. There is a serious threat to his position as the PM with legal challenges on his legality to serve as PM pending in the courts, his unconstitutional act of signing a Trade Agreement with Trump bypassing the Yang Dipertuan Agong, the Malay Rulers and Parliament, his secretive dealing on territorial issues with Indonesia on the AMBALAT and the latest ceding of 5207 hectars of land, his mishandling of the Azam Baki issue are all posing heat to his leadership. Hence, he is using the old trick in the book. Sow division among races and religions to distract the public from unresolved controversies to remain in power.*
Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy
14.2.26