Kuala lumpur: The government is reinforcing governance of non-Muslim houses of worship to ensure proper management, coordination and best practices in handling issues within the existing administrative framework. The issue was discussed yesterday at the strategic meeting on Harmony and the Management of Non-Muslim Houses of Worship, co-chaired by Deputy Minister of National Unity R. Yuneswaran and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Marhamah Rosli.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the joint statement said the talks also stressed the need to improve understanding of procedures and guidelines for the management and construction of houses of worship. The statement highlighted the central role of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) at the federal level in coordinating non-Muslim houses of worship. This includes oversight through the Non-Muslim Houses of Worship Fund Coordination Unit (RIBI), which monitors and manages fund allocations.

The statement urged all parties to adhere to KPKT guidelines on approving and managing houses of worship. It outlined that the issue is governed by existing laws such as the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171), the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133), and the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172), which empower local authorities to regulate building structures and prevent unauthorized construction of houses of worship.

The government emphasized the importance of maintaining a dialogue platform with religious community representatives to resolve issues through negotiation, shared understanding, and unity. Additionally, a warning was issued against exploiting issues involving religion, race, and the royal institutions (3R) in ways that threaten social harmony.

Dialogue, negotiation, and mediation are deemed the primary approaches to managing issues among multi-religious communities, ensuring resolutions are achieved without affecting social harmony and unity. Leaders and representatives of Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Sikh, and Bah¡'­ houses of worship nationwide attended the meeting. Also present were officials from the Home Ministry, KPKT, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the Registrar of Societies (ROS), and PLANMalaysia.