HIS Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has emphasised that all development projects in the state must comply with existing laws and follow good governance practices, including the construction of places of worship such as Hindu temples.
According to a statement from the Sultan’s Private Secretary today, His Royal Highness urged that the construction of religious buildings should be orderly, legally approved, and aligned with sustainable urban planning.
“All development, including places of worship, must go through proper application and approval processes with the relevant authorities to ensure peace, harmony, and sound governance are maintained,” the statement said on Tuesday.
The Sultan also reminded the state government and local authorities to review and monitor all applications for religious building construction in a transparent, fair, and systematic manner, to prevent unauthorised projects that could cause disputes or pose security risks.
Sultan Sharafuddin expressed full support for the Federal Government’s firm stance against the construction of any religious building that does not comply with the law.
The statement noted that the Sultan’s position aligns with comments made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on 7 February and reiterated during a royal audience on 8 February.
The statement further revealed that the Selangor state government had briefed the Sultan on the statistics of unauthorised Hindu temple constructions in the state up to 31 January, totalling 687 temples.
Of these, 388 were built on government land and 299 on private land.
“The number is considered high in comparison to the Hindu population in Selangor, estimated at around 11.3 per cent, and does not include legally approved temples,” the statement added.
“As the Head of Islam in Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin is always mindful of the sensitivities of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, in line with principles of tolerance that underpin harmony in the state,” it said.
Anwar previously granted local authorities the power to take action against places of worship, including temples, that are built on unauthorised land.
Although the decision is expected to generate debate, Anwar stressed that Malaysia has laws that must be respected by all.
Earlier, Selangor Chief Minister Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari reaffirmed that the state government would act within the law regarding religious buildings on unauthorised sites, taking a measured approach to preserve community harmony. – February 10, 2026
