MORE PICS - DEMOLITION CHINESE TEMPLE in Penang Halted - Scuffle BROKE Out (APPEAL REMOVE Statues & Deities Refused); 2 Shots FIRED; SIX Arrested

UPDATE 1_ Demo at the Site& the aftermath of the demolition
23rd Nov 2006



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Ministry takes council to task over demolition 19 Nov 2006 NST

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Internal Security Ministry has slammed the Seberang Prai Municipal Council for demolishing part of the Tou Mu Kung Nine Emperors God’s temple here on Friday. Work was stopped half way following a fracas between the demolition team and temple committee members. Deputy Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said he deeply regretted the council's action and alluded to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s reminder at the just-concluded Umno general assembly that issues on race and religion were sensitive and should be addressed with care. "It is regrettable this incident happened. The council should have abided by the prime minister’s call," he said. Police fired two warning shots to prevent the fight from turning uglier. The council proceeded with the demolition work after issuing a notice to the temple committee two months ago for building a structure without an approval. The action caused anger among devotees and temple committee members as the demolition order was expected to be discussed at the state executive council meeting on Wednesday.

Fu expressed hope the state government would find an amicable solution to the matter.

"The council has the right to carry out enforcement but it should at least wait for the decision of the state exco." Temple committee members lodged a police report yesterday alleging that the demolition team had used excessive force on them. They did so at the Seberang Perai Tengah district police headquarters in Bandar Perda after a meeting at the temple. Berapit assemblyman Lau Chiek Tuan also lodged a report against a police sergeant, who he alleged had provoked temple members. "The policeman shouted to me saying that he did not care even if the temple members died during the incident." He said the committee was compiling evidence on the conduct of council workers. The State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs committee chairman, who is also the committee adviser, said the evidence included photographs. "This evidence will be forwarded to the police for action," he said. The six committee members arrested during the fracas were released on police bail yesterday. State CID chief Senior Assistant Commissioner (II) Abdul Samah Mat said police had recorded statements from all parties. Two temple members and a police sergeant sought outpatient treatment at the Seberang Jaya Hospital for injuries sustained in the fracas. Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng called on MPSP president Datuk Md Aris Ariffin to step down "as he was not sensitive enough to hold such a public service position". "What is the point of stopping the demolition after part of the building was pulled down?" Lim said Md Aris could have been more sensitive by giving more time to the temple committee, considering the fact that they had appealed and were willing to resolve the matter with the local authority.

He was speaking to reporters after the Penang DAP staged a protest in front of Komtar over the council’s action. Lim asked the state government to explain its position in the matter as the land on which the temple was sited came under its jurisdiction.
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Scuffle breaks out during temple demolition;

Regina William Updated: 04:49PM Fri, 17 Nov 2006 SUN; BUKIT MERTAJAM (Nov 17, 2006): Police were forced to fire two warning shots when a scuffle broke out while Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) enforcement workers were in the midst of tearing down a Taoist temple along Jalan Maju on Friday (Nov 17, 2006).
More than 50 MPSP enforcement personnel and about 30 police officers had cordoned off the area around the Nine Emperor God temple from as early as 8am to enable the demolition works to be conducted. The temple committee had supposedly constructed a house of worship without prior council approval. Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng who was at the scene with state executive
councillor and Berapit state assemblyman Lau Chiek Tuan said both of them appealed to the enforcement unit to defer the demolition until the temple's statues and deities were removed. "We tried to persuade them but they refused.

"When they started demolishing the extension structures, the temple's committee members managed to tear part of the zinc fencing and entered the temple compound.

"They, too pleaded with the council workers to stop and the scuffle started between the groups which had gathered there," she added. Police personnel who were at the scene then fired two shots and in the ensuing free-for-all, arrested six people at the scene.

The demolition works were then halted. Chong later went to meet council president Datuk Aris Ariffin who said the temple had been constructed illegally even though the land belonged to the temple. "He told us there was no approval for the temple building and the council had to act based on public complaints," she said. "The council should be sensitive when tearing down places of worship even if they are illegal structures. I don't understand the double standards practised. "Look at Zakaria's (Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zainal @ Zakaria Mat Deros) house which the council has not torn down despite it being illegal. "This matter could have been solved amicably if the council had been sensitive enough," she added. Chong claimed that after the temple authorities received a notice from the council, state executive councillor Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon and Lau met Aris and asked for a grace period before the temple was demolished. Toh had suggested that the state exco would discuss the matter after the Nine Emperor God celebrations which ended last week. But before the state exco could discuss the matter, the council had moved in to demolish the structure. "Due to the council's insensitivity, matters have gotten out of hand and resulted in such a volatile situation. "This is a regretable incident as the temple committee was willing to cooperate," Chong added. She called on the state government and the housing and local government ministry to formulate guidelines on the necessary procedures which must be adhered to when demolishing structures especially places of worship. Aris and other council officials could not reached for comment despite numerous attempts. Deputy CPO SAC II Othman Harun confirmed that six persons were arrested and the case has been classified as rioting under Section 148 of the Penal Code.
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Malaysian police fire in temple demolition protest; Friday November 17, 9:12 PM

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A bid by Malaysian officials to raze an ethnic Chinese temple turned ugly on Friday with police firing warning shots to quell protests, a witness said, just a day after the premier sought curbs on religious disputes. About 40 people scuffled with about 80 police and municipal officials at the Taoist temple on the northern island of Penang, soon after the structure was cordoned off for demolition, the parliamentary deputy for the area said. Municipal authorities say it was built without planning approval. "They didn't allow anyone to go in and pick up the statues and deities of the gods and that made people angry," Chong Eng, a lawmaker and member of the opposition Democratic Action Party, told Reuters. "People forced the gate to enter the temple," she added. Police fired two warning shots to break up the scuffle and arrested six people, she added. The demolition was halted pending a decision by municipal authorities next week. Police declined to comment.

The incident follows several recent reports of demolitions of Hindu temples that have stirred outcry from Malaysia's ethnic Indian community, feeding minority communities' fears that their rights are at risk among a largely Muslim population. Political leaders of the ethnic Malay majority have warned the nation's Chinese and Indian minorities to stop questioning Malay privileges or risk hurting race relations, a touchy issue in a country that has suffered race riots in the past. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said polemics on race and religion in Malaysia had reached a worrying level, saying guidelines for debate needed to be laid down. "It's time to remind people to lay down the ground rules," Abdullah, an Islamic scholar who portrays Malaysia as a moderate Muslim nation said on Thursday.
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Following are belated versions of the incident with other details

Near riot as temple is torn down; From NST; 18 Nov 2006;
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BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police fired two warning shots to prevent a near riot when workers from the Seberang Perai Municipal Council tried to demolish a Taoist temple here yesterday. The incident occurred when a 40-man enforcement team escorted by auxiliary policemen turned up at the Tou Mu Kung temple in Jalan Maju.

here about 9am. They then attempted to demolish the building using excavators. However, tempers became frayed when the enforcement team prevented temple committee members from entering the building to remove statues of deities and other praying material. The demolition team then proceeded to tear down the temple’s front portion despite appeals from State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Lau Chiek Tuan and Bukit Mertajam Member of Parliament Chong Eng. This sparked anger among some 50-odd temple members at the site. Some of them decided to climb over the temple’s fence, forcing the policemen to react. Two shots were fired and moments later six men, including temple committee members, were handcuffed.

One of the handcuffed men suddenly started hyperventilating and collapsed and was rushed to the Seberang Jaya Hospital. He is reported to be in stable condition. It is learnt that a police sergeant was injured in the commotion and received outpatient treatment. Lau, who is also Berapit state assemblyman, criticised the council for failing to handle the matter tactfully. He also chided MPSP president Datuk Md Aris Ariffin for dishonouring a promise that the temple’s status would be discussed at the state executive council meeting next Wednesday. He said Md Aris had agreed last month to allow the matter to be handled by State Exco members. Chong demanded that the council explain why it was tearing down temples when there were hundreds of other illegal structures in the area.

And From The STAR +++++++++++++

Cop and two others hurt as crowd turns violent

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police fired two shots in the air to disperse a crowd of 300 which turned unruly during demolition work at a Chinese temple in Jalan Maju here. Three people, including a policeman, were injured in the incident that happened at 8.30am yesterday. Two of them – a contractor’s son and a worker at a housing project behind the illegal temple – were warded at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital with head injuries while the policeman was treated for bruises.

The mob was believed to have attacked the duo over suspicions that the contractor of the housing project had complained to the Seberang Prai Municipal Council about the temple. It is learnt that police have detained six persons aged between 20 and 40. Temple committee vice-chairman Ang Sum Kee, 43, said the temple was built in 1985. Berapit assemblyman Lau Chiek Tuan said he and state executive councillor Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon met council president Datuk Md Aris Ariffin after the temple committee was notified by the council that the structure was illegal and would be demolished. “We told Md Aris to wait until we raised the matter at the exco meeting on Wednesday,” he said, adding that the temple committee was looking for an alternative site for the temple. Md Aris was not available for comment despite attempts to contact him.