PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA February 9, 2026 – Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that the government is committed to seeking a harmonious resolution to issues involving places of worship, particularly temples, grounded in the rule of law, tolerance, and mutual respect.
In his latest post on his official X account (@anwaribrahim), Anwar explained that the construction of any place of worship — whether mosque, temple, or church — must comply with local authority (PBT) regulations and cannot be carried out arbitrarily.
“The government’s priority is to ensure the safety, harmony, and stability of the nation remain preserved. Therefore, any party attempting to manipulate this issue to incite hatred or racial tension is irresponsible and must be stopped,” he stated firmly.
He further emphasised that an approach based on the rule of law and mutual respect must remain the cornerstone of national unity under the Malaysia MADANI narrative.
The post included a video clip of Anwar’s speech during the Monthly Assembly of the Ministry of National Unity, where he clearly stated that the temple issue is not new, but only under his leadership (PMX) is a truly harmonious resolution being actively pursued.
In the clip, Anwar pointed out that similar issues had occurred under previous governments — BN, PN, and even PAS — yet a harmonious and fair approach has only emerged now.
“What a mess, wow! This is not a new matter — it keeps surfacing as if it’s something new, as if it only happened yesterday, only under PMX… When in fact it happened under all those previous governments… So if you ask me, should we seek a resolution? My answer: yes,” Anwar said in the speech.
The statement is seen as the latest response to the heated debate over the status of several places of worship alleged to be non-compliant with regulations, while calling on all parties to avoid exploiting sensitive racial issues for political gain.
The MADANI Government remains committed to preserving multiracial unity in Malaysia through mature and prudent approaches.
About The Author
