Temples on wheels: The systematic displacement of Hindu places of worship in Malaysia
P Ramasamy
The ongoing displacement of Hindu temples and shrines in Malaysia echoes the tragic history of Native American tribes who were forced from their ancestral lands by European settlers.
Dee Brown’s Burry My Heart at Wounded Knee (1970) provides a harrowing account of how the Sioux were relentlessly moved from one reservation to another, their existence dictated by the greed of white settlers backed by the U.S. cavalry.
At one point, a Sioux chief lamented that it would be better to put his people on wheels so they could be moved at the settlers’ convenience.
A similar fate now befalls Hindu temples in Malaysia. With increasing urbanization and commercialization, Hindu places of worship—many established during the early days of Indian labor migration, long before the Torrens System of land registration—are being uprooted.
While some temples have managed to obtain legal recognition, others remain on state or private lands, making them vulnerable to forced relocation or outright demolition.
Case of Dewi Sri Pathrakaliaman Temple
One of the most glaring examples is the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliaman Temple in Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur.
Despite existing for over 130 years, the temple was never granted formal legal status, not due to any fault of its caretakers but because of institutional bias and neglect.
The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had the power to legalize and gazette the land, yet failed to act. Instead, commercial interests took precedence when the land was sold to Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd in 2014.
For years, the temple committee resisted pressure to vacate, but the final blow came when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim personally pushed for its relocation, using Indian political sycophants or Mandors to apply pressure on the community.
Overnight, a temple that predated Malaysia’s modern legal framework was arbitrarily declared illegal.
The result? The temple was forced to move, making way for a yet-to-be-built Madani Mosque, set to be officiated by Anwar himself on March 27, 2025.
This decision exposes the hypocrisy of Anwar’s rhetoric on diversity and pluralism. His eagerness to showcase his commitment to Malay-Muslim supremacy has only further alienated the very Indian community that once placed their trust in him.
A systemic pattern of displacement
This is not an isolated incident. Hindu temples and shrines in urban areas have been consistently targeted for demolition and relocation under the guise of legal technicalities or development projects.
The reality is that race and religion dictate political power in Malaysia, and as long as this remains true, Hindu places of worship will continue to be at the mercy of those in power.
What Anwar fails to realize is that his desperate attempt to win over the Malay-Muslim electorate is futile. The political landscape has shifted; the Malay majority has already cast its lot with Perikatan Nasional (PN). Anwar’s actions only serve to betray and alienate the very communities that once stood by him.
Future of Hindu temples: On wheels?
If this pattern continues, perhaps the government should place Hindu temples and shrines on wheels, making it easier for them to be displaced whenever political or commercial interests demand it. The sheer absurdity of such a suggestion mirrors the injustice Hindu communities face today.
Anwar’s brief tenure in power has unmasked his true priorities. The Indian community’s trust in him has eroded beyond repair, and his only remaining Indian supporters are those sycophants who have been rewarded with minor positions in his administration.
The question remains: How many more temples must fall before Malaysia acknowledges its deep-rooted racial and religious biases?
Temple relocation: A betrayal of trust and justice
The Dewi Sri Pathrakaliaman Hindu Temple committee has agreed to relocate their 130-year-old temple, following a directive issued today, March 25, 2025, at a meeting with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
The committee received the official relocation letter, which grants them a piece of land approximately 100 meters from the current site.
This acceptance was witnessed by the Minister of Federal Territories, Zaliha Mustafa, and DBKL Mayor, Maimunah Md Sharif.
However, Urimai strongly believes that the temple committee was pressured into accepting this relocation under the circumstances of duress and threats.
The decision was not made in a free and fair manner but rather under coercion, with Indian Members of Parliament from both the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) failing to stand their ground.
The temple committee, composed of ordinary members, had little choice but to comply with the demands placed upon them.
While the new land is said to be comparable in size to the current temple grounds, critical details remain unclear—such as who will bear the costs of shifting the temple, infrastructure development, and other necessary works.
The only acceptable justification for this relocation would be if the new site and its facilities are superior to the existing structure.
The issue at hand was never about refusing relocation but about the unjust circumstances under which it was imposed.
The Indian leadership’s failure to defend the temple’s rights has severely eroded the community’s trust in them. This was not just a temple relocation—it was a clear instance of forced displacement.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, despite his outward claims of being a champion of multi-racial unity, has failed to defend the rights of the temple.
While he justifies the construction of the Madani Mosque, it comes at the expense of an ancient and historically significant Hindu temple.
Indian leaders who passively accepted this decision should be ashamed of their failure to defend the temple.
The relocation of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliaman Temple will be remembered as one of the Madani government’s greatest betrayals of the Indian community.
From this moment forward, Indians who value dignity and self-respect will stand firmly against the PH-led government under Anwar’s leadership.
P. Ramasamy
Chairman, Urimai
March 25, 2025
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This move by the Madani government of dislodging temples that have not bothered to secure proper title on a piece of land it had occupied for over a century is quite appropriate and in keeping with the cult of Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma the current rage in India the home of Hinduism.
In present day Hindustan, where under every Mosque or church is found a relic or historical piece of artifact (usually placed there by some Hindu zealot) used as evidence of there having been a Hindu temple standing previously where a mosque is standing today.
Lest we forget, the price several hundred Muslims (innocents) paid for the benefit of feigned Hindu rage over the Babri Masjid in 1993 violence and deth whilst the Indian police were mute spectators.
Hindus who are disproportionately represented in the legal profession in Malaysia could have done something about this situation over the DBKL Temple and many other Hindu temples throughout Malaysia facing the wrath of the titles office.
But these stewards of the Indian Hindu community interests failed to do anything till it became a little too late in keeping with the age old Hindu traditions of self and caste first over everything else.