00:00Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said has urged landowners, whose properties
00:06have been encroached upon and used for the construction of houses of worship without
00:10approval, to seek legal recourse instead of taking matters into their own hands.
00:16Azalina today warned that unilateral action, including demolishing such structures,
00:20could trigger more sensitive issues, especially if prior arrangements existed but were not
00:25formally documented, Harian Metro reported. She said it was difficult to comment without
00:31knowing the full story, as there could have been permission given or payments made that
00:35were not properly recorded. She said objections by landowners should be formally recorded either
00:41through a police report or a legal claim filed by a lawyer. Azalina also proposed mediation as an
00:48alternative to litigation, saying disputes involving religion require careful and proper process and
00:53handling. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has also urged the public not to take the law into their own
01:00hands over these places of worship, insisting that the rule of law must be upheld.
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