Ronnie Liu: What we should truly rejoice over is not the victory of any single party
Planning coordination is necessary, yet it must never leave citizens feeling segregated by tiered treatment, much less devolve into a symbolic hierarchy of status
Updated 5 hours ago · Published on 24 Jun 2026 9:20AM
Some hail this as a victory for the people; others view it as a successful fight by religious communities to claim their rights. - June 24, 2026
THE Selangor state government has announced amendments to the Guidelines for Planning Non-Islamic Places of Worship, rolling back several provisions, including height restrictions, which have drawn widespread public attention across society.
Some hail this as a victory for the people; others view it as a successful fight by religious communities to claim their rights.
Yet I believe a more accurate framing is this:
What we ought to be truly thankful for is not that one side prevailed, but that Selangor has ultimately chosen to return to a path upholding constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom while balancing sound urban planning logic.
Policies may be formulated, but they must also remain open to review.
Planning coordination is necessary, yet it must never leave citizens feeling segregated by tiered treatment, much less devolve into a symbolic hierarchy of status.
A mature society judges spaces for worship not by how tall any house of faith’s roof stands, but by whether every citizen receives equal treatment.
This set of amendments proves, at the very least, one truth: policies are not set in stone.
With sustained public attention and rational civic discourse, the government retains room to revisit its decisions and realign itself with the principles of equitable governance.
That said, these revisions have also brought forth another critical issue worthy of deliberation.
If a controversial planning policy can be subjected to reassessment, ought other long-debated governance matters in Selangor also be revisited?
One prominent such issue is the state’s pig farming industry.
Challenges surrounding pig farming are not a nationwide predicament, but a long-standing flaw in Selangor’s industrial planning.
If pollution lies at the heart of the concern, internationally proven, mature solutions already exist: modern closed-house farming, biosecurity protocols, wastewater treatment infrastructure, designated concentrated livestock zones, and stringent law enforcement.
If technology, regulation and industrial upgrading can resolve pollution concerns, the public naturally poses a fair question:
If planning constraints on non-Islamic houses of worship are open to revision, will Selangor also commit to reopening discussions on viable space for a modernised pig farming sector?
After all, pork is more than a dietary preference for segments of the population. It ties to longstanding living customs, food supply chain security, livelihoods built around the industry, and legitimate market demand.
If pollution is the problem, tackle pollution head-on.
If poor oversight is the problem, strengthen regulatory governance.
If lax enforcement is the problem, bolster law enforcement rigorously.
Should the ultimate solution amount to a blanket phase-out of the industry, citizens will inevitably question whether the move prioritises genuine environmental remediation, or simply forces an entire trade out of the state.
Likewise, the halal certification system fulfils genuine religious requirements and carries tangible value for global trade, giving it a solid practical rationale.
Most members of the public do not oppose halal certification, nor do they dismiss the faith-based needs of the Muslim community.
The real debate worth having centres on whether public administration is drifting toward excessive labelling and over-secularisation of state affairs.
For instance, separating food into halal and non-halal categories is reasonable, as this adheres to religious dietary codes.
But must waste segregation, public amenities, municipal administration and public sanitation systems continually be assigned religious categorisations?
THE Selangor state government has announced amendments to the Guidelines for Planning Non-Islamic Places of Worship, rolling back several provisions, including height restrictions, which have drawn widespread public attention across society.
Some hail this as a victory for the people; others view it as a successful fight by religious communities to claim their rights.
Yet I believe a more accurate framing is this:
What we ought to be truly thankful for is not that one side prevailed, but that Selangor has ultimately chosen to return to a path upholding constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom while balancing sound urban planning logic.
Policies may be formulated, but they must also remain open to review.
Planning coordination is necessary, yet it must never leave citizens feeling segregated by tiered treatment, much less devolve into a symbolic hierarchy of status.
A mature society judges spaces for worship not by how tall any house of faith’s roof stands, but by whether every citizen receives equal treatment.
This set of amendments proves, at the very least, one truth: policies are not set in stone.
With sustained public attention and rational civic discourse, the government retains room to revisit its decisions and realign itself with the principles of equitable governance.
That said, these revisions have also brought forth another critical issue worthy of deliberation.
If a controversial planning policy can be subjected to reassessment, ought other long-debated governance matters in Selangor also be revisited?
One prominent such issue is the state’s pig farming industry.
Challenges surrounding pig farming are not a nationwide predicament, but a long-standing flaw in Selangor’s industrial planning.
If pollution lies at the heart of the concern, internationally proven, mature solutions already exist: modern closed-house farming, biosecurity protocols, wastewater treatment infrastructure, designated concentrated livestock zones, and stringent law enforcement.
If technology, regulation and industrial upgrading can resolve pollution concerns, the public naturally poses a fair question:
If planning constraints on non-Islamic houses of worship are open to revision, will Selangor also commit to reopening discussions on viable space for a modernised pig farming sector?
After all, pork is more than a dietary preference for segments of the population. It ties to longstanding living customs, food supply chain security, livelihoods built around the industry, and legitimate market demand.
If pollution is the problem, tackle pollution head-on.
If poor oversight is the problem, strengthen regulatory governance.
If lax enforcement is the problem, bolster law enforcement rigorously.
Should the ultimate solution amount to a blanket phase-out of the industry, citizens will inevitably question whether the move prioritises genuine environmental remediation, or simply forces an entire trade out of the state.
Likewise, the halal certification system fulfils genuine religious requirements and carries tangible value for global trade, giving it a solid practical rationale.
Most members of the public do not oppose halal certification, nor do they dismiss the faith-based needs of the Muslim community.
The real debate worth having centres on whether public administration is drifting toward excessive labelling and over-secularisation of state affairs.
For instance, separating food into halal and non-halal categories is reasonable, as this adheres to religious dietary codes.
But must waste segregation, public amenities, municipal administration and public sanitation systems continually be assigned religious categorisations?
If waste management aims to boost recycling rates, improve hygiene and cut pollution, sorting frameworks should be built around environmental science, circular resource principles and public health imperatives — rather than making citizens feel that even routine waste disposal is defined by divisive identity labels.
Food safety ought to fall under food safety governance;
Sanitation and hygiene ought to fall under environmental health governance;
Religious certification ought to remain confined to dedicated religious regulatory frameworks;
Urban planning ought to abide by professional planning standards.
Governance’s core mandate should not revolve around managing group identities, but around risk mitigation, evidence-based professional administration and equitable public service delivery.
A truly mature pluralistic society does not merely grant reasonable operational space to all faiths. It must also accommodate diverse ethnic communities’ ways of life, dietary needs, industrial livelihoods and economic entitlements.
What the public has always yearned for is never triumph for one faction alone.
What citizens genuinely seek is a government willing to listen, adapt and progress.
Selangor’s recent revisions to the planning rules governing non-Islamic places of worship mark a promising starting point.
Yet if these amendments signal the state government’s commitment to realigning with constitutional spirit, professional governance and impartial administration, Selangor must summon the courage to revisit many other long-running contentious issues next:
Can pig farming policy shift away from a blanket phase-out framework toward modernised, regulated industry management?
Can public administration move beyond divisive identity labelling and return to neutral, professional public service?
Governing a plural society is never merely a matter of roof height limits for places of worship.
More fundamentally, it concerns whether every citizen on this land will be fairly recognised, reasonably treated and served through impartial, professional state administration. – June 24, 2026
Ronnie Liu Thian Khiew is a former Selangor executive councillor and DAP leader
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