A temple and mosque side by side in Johor spark calls for unity amid debate over unapproved houses of worship

AMID ongoing religious tensions in Malaysia over unapproved houses of worship, a Threads user has shared a heartwarming reminder that harmony is still possible in the country’s multicultural society.

User @helltruckersempire posted photos of a Hindu temple and a mosque located side by side in Tangkak, Johor.

“A temple next to a mosque. There’s no issue at all. This is what harmony looks like. You with your beliefs, me with mine. What matters most is that we share one love for Him,” he wrote.

The post quickly drew attention, with many netizens sharing their views on peaceful coexistence.

Sasitheran said that, as a Hindu, he believes there is no issue with different places of worship being located close to one another, but make sure of it complies with the law and proper regulations.

“I support and believe it is the duty of all Malaysians to abide by the laws and regulations set out in the Federal Constitution,” he said.

“Whatever we do, it must be in accordance with the proper legal framework, on privately owned land, and officially gazetted for the purpose of building a place of worship.”

Another user, Iyyov Ehmed, shared photos of a Hindu temple, a mosque and a Chinese temple standing in a row along Jalan Tukang Emas in Melaka both in the present day and in 1910, when the street was known as Goldsmith Street.

He stressed that although harmony has long been the norm, some politicians exploit issues of race and religion and twist constitutional rights to remain relevant and gain support.

Many netizens opined that the current issue surrounding unapproved houses of worship should be treated purely as a legal matter, rather than being politicised in a way that could disrupt the country’s peace.

 The Sun Malaysia