Malaysian Sikh body calls for regulation of non-Muslim places of worship

KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Gurdwaras Council, a local Sikh body, has urged the Government to set-up a constitutional body to regulate non-Muslim places of worship in the country.

The Council’s President, Jagir Singh, has demanded a separate body for the non-Muslim population of the country, very much on the lines of Malaysian Islamic Development Department, which is for Muslims, to avoid them going to the Registrar of Societies (ROS), which, according to him, was not the proper body to register the places of worship.

“This would be the best way forward. Having a regulatory body setting guidelines for non-Muslim places of worship to be good,” The Star quoted him, as saying.

“This will provide an avenue for non-Muslims to go to if there was any dispute, instead of going to the Registrar of Societies (ROS),” he added.

He said most of the gurudwaras would come to the council with their election related problems, and not the financial ones, as they already get registered with the ROS because of the difficulty in opening bank accounts,

According to him, out of the 118 gurudwaras in Malaysia, 82 are affiliated with the council, but all would heed its directives on religious matters.

Jagir, who is also the chairman of the legal panel of the council, said the Federal Constitution was clear that places of worship need not register. (ANI)