Selangor worship guidelines stricter than PAS states, Khir Toyo handled churches better: Ronnie Liu
Ex-DAP leader accuses state of introducing discriminatory restrictions on worship sites
Keran Raj
Updated 3 hours ago
11 June, 2026
8:00 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR – Former Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu has slammed the state government’s proposed guidelines for non-Muslim places of worship, calling them discriminatory and unprecedented, even when compared with policies in PAS-led states.
“You have restrictions on the height, restrictions on the size, you’ve got restrictions on the access to the places of worship. You totally ban any of these places of worship in new commercial areas, and no places of worship can be seen from the main road. That means you have to hide your places of worship, something like that.
“This has never happened before in any other states. Not in Kelantan under PAS, not in Terengganu, not in those states,” Liu told Scoop Insight host News Editor Azim Idris, with Editor-in-Chief Terence Fernandez also on the podcast.
Liu accused the Pakatan Harapan-led state of abandoning the inclusive principles associated with the Madani agenda.
“And you Selangor or PH, you’re supposed to be part of the madani. Madani means you’re open and fair and democratic and inclusive and all that. But this is more than not inclusive. This is like discriminatory. It’s a discrimination to me,” he said.
He questioned why Selangor was introducing measures he claimed were absent even in states under PAS rule. “It was not PAS that called for banning of pig farming in Malaysia. I mean, in Selangor. Pig farming continues in the states under PAS. And then the guidelines. All the states under PAS are not doing it. So why this… Why, why, why you guys want to do it? And why you guys want to do it? And why so degil (stubborn)?”
Liu urged the government to abandon the proposals entirely rather than review them. “So that’s why I call on the state government, instead of reviewing all that, just throw it away. Just throw it away. If you need to do new guidelines, do new guidelines. Forget it. You are totally wrong,” he said.
Former DAP leader Ronnie Liu speaks during an episode of Scoop Insight. – Scoop pic, June 11, 2026
He added that religious representatives had grown frustrated during consultations. “I heard there was a walkout, to be confirmed, when the representatives of some religion were invited for discussions when they cannot get assurance, they cannot get certain things. They walked out of the meeting,” he said.
The controversy has revived memories of former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, whom Liu credited with resolving a long-standing church land dispute in Shah Alam. He cited the approval of the Church of Divine Mercy, which faced years of delays before receiving the green light under Khir’s administration.
“The credit must go to Khir Toyo,” Liu said.
“As long as you are doing the right thing, the majority accept it, you have to go ahead. That’s why Khir Toyo did the right thing by accepting the church in Shah Alam.”
Liu also highlighted that several leaders managing non-Muslim affairs in Selangor hail from DAP. “You have Paparaidu, you have Ng Sze Han, you have Ng Sue Lim. All three of them, all come from DAP. And DAP is supposed to be defender of freedom of religion and things like that. What are they doing? That’s why don’t blame me for naming them, to be responsible for the fiasco,” he said.
He warned that maintaining the guidelines could invite legal challenges. “So I can assure you if state governments stick to such guidelines, it will restrict the freedom of religion and things like that. So to me, I would call it unconstitutional,” Liu said.
The Selangor government has clarified that the guidelines will apply only to new commercial developments and will not affect existing temples, churches, gurdwaras, or other places of worship already operating in such areas. – June 11, 2026
He added that religious representatives had grown frustrated during consultations. “I heard there was a walkout, to be confirmed, when the representatives of some religion were invited for discussions when they cannot get assurance, they cannot get certain things. They walked out of the meeting,” he said.
The controversy has revived memories of former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, whom Liu credited with resolving a long-standing church land dispute in Shah Alam. He cited the approval of the Church of Divine Mercy, which faced years of delays before receiving the green light under Khir’s administration.
“The credit must go to Khir Toyo,” Liu said.
“As long as you are doing the right thing, the majority accept it, you have to go ahead. That’s why Khir Toyo did the right thing by accepting the church in Shah Alam.”
Liu also highlighted that several leaders managing non-Muslim affairs in Selangor hail from DAP. “You have Paparaidu, you have Ng Sze Han, you have Ng Sue Lim. All three of them, all come from DAP. And DAP is supposed to be defender of freedom of religion and things like that. What are they doing? That’s why don’t blame me for naming them, to be responsible for the fiasco,” he said.
He warned that maintaining the guidelines could invite legal challenges. “So I can assure you if state governments stick to such guidelines, it will restrict the freedom of religion and things like that. So to me, I would call it unconstitutional,” Liu said.
The Selangor government has clarified that the guidelines will apply only to new commercial developments and will not affect existing temples, churches, gurdwaras, or other places of worship already operating in such areas. – June 11, 2026
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