00:01A past MP has called for a window of amnesty for houses of worship built without approval to be legalized before local councils issue compounds or order the closure of those that do not comply.
00:13Dr. Halima Ali said disputes over temples were often left unaddressed for years by local authorities and flared up in the event of complaints or political pressure.
00:23She said such cases were often framed as religious disputes when they were in fact the result of poor governance.
00:30Halima asked if the government would set up a framework to handle complaints of illegally built houses of worship with clear deadlines, response times, and a fixed legalization period before penalties are imposed.
00:43She also asked if future Jaya would introduce a step-by-step action plan that could be applied equally to all houses of worship built without approval, starting with a fixed legalization or regularization period before penalties are imposed.
00:56National Unity Minister Aaron Agudagang said matters involving land and religion were largely under the jurisdiction of state governments and that each state already had special committees to coordinate issues involving non-Islamic houses of worship and related land matters.
01:13He said the Unity Ministry would continue to act as a facilitator, urging dialogue and restraint, including through community mediators.
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