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Non-Muslim religious associations in Selangor walked out of a government meeting today (30 May) with one clear assurance: their existing temples, churches and gurdwaras in commercial shoplots are safe — for now.
But they also walked out with two unresolved requests still on the table, and no formal commitments beyond a promise to keep talking.
At a State Special Committee for Non-Islamic Affairs (LIMAS) meeting attended by Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Taoist representatives, the state government drew a firm line: the controversial planning guidelines only apply to new commercial developments.
Sitting across the table were officials from PlanMalaysia Selangor — the federal agency that sets land use and physical planning standards at the state level — and the Selangor State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN), which oversees development policy and resource allocation across the state.
Their presence wasn’t incidental: these are precisely the bodies with the technical authority to revise, suspend, or rewrite the guidelines that triggered the crisis. Also in the room were representatives from local authorities, the enforcement arm closest to the ground.
Not a single existing house of worship will be touched.
The statement was signed off by the three co-chairs of LIMAS — Ng Sze Han, the Kinrara assemblyman and Selangor DAP chairman; Datuk Ng Suee Lim, DAP’s National Vice-Chairman and former Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly; and Papparaidu Veraman, the Banting assemblyman and Selangor Exco member overseeing poverty eradication and human resources — invoking Articles 3 and 11 of the Federal Constitution as the state’s commitment to both Islam as the national religion and every Malaysian’s right to worship freely.
From Silence To Scramble
The associations didn’t just accept the reassurance.
They came with two requests:
- That commercial buildings continue to be allowed as houses of worship in new areas, assessed on a case-by-case basis by local authorities
- That the planning permission process be simplified for newer religious groups
The operative word in the official statement is memohon — requested.
Not approved, not guaranteed, still being considered.
The guidelines that triggered all of this had been sitting unnoticed for six months.
Approved quietly at a State Exco meeting on 12 November, 2025, the Selangor State Planning Guidelines and Standards for Community Facilities stated plainly that non-Muslim places of worship are “not permitted” in commercial zones — and that converting existing buildings for such use “is not allowed.”
Nobody flagged it until Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung did on 23 May.
Within hours, the state was in damage-control mode — confirming no enforcement had taken place, announcing a review, and scheduling today’s meeting.
Our churches are alrdy relocated to factory lots! We r in shoplots bec we canX get land or the process is too arduous or Muslims say NO they are the majority. Of course they are the majority. BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A REASON DENY OTHERS THE RIGHT TO PRACTISE THEIR RELIGION.
— Anne James (@annejames44) May 24, 2026
The Workaround That Became The Only Way
For decades, non-Muslim communities across Selangor have worshipped in shophouses because gazetted land for non-Islamic worship was never sufficient.
The arrangement was practical, widespread, and, as far back as 2008, formally tolerated by the state itself.
Academic James Chin said what many were thinking: “Non-Muslim communities are forced into commercial shophouses just to find a place to gather, simply because they are frustrated from getting legal permission anywhere else. It hurts to hear the official rhetoric about the government respecting all religions, when the crushing reality of the bureaucracy tells a completely different, heartbreaking story.”
A formal review continues, and the outcome — whether the guidelines are revised, suspended, or scrapped — is expected to be shaped by the feedback gathered from Saturday’s meeting and ongoing consultations with religious associations.
For now, the doors stay open.
The harder question of whether they’ll stay open in the long run remains unanswered.
READ MORE: Selangor Halts Shoplot Worship Ban After Public Outcry
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Selangor Won’t Shut Down Shoplot Temples And Churches — But Groups Want More Than Just A Promise
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