Tuesday February 26, 2008
No permits required to operate churches in Subang Jaya
KELANA JAYA BN candidate Datuk Lee Hwa Beng is fuming over a newspaper report quoting him as saying that all churches in Subang Jaya are required to have permits to operate.
“Churches in Subang Jaya are not required to apply for permits to operate,'' said the MCA leader.
Lee said he wanted to clarify the issue after he claimed an English daily had misquoted him.
“Many Christians in the community have approached me regarding this. So I want to clarify now that as far as the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) is concerned, there is no need to apply for such permits.
“And for the 14 years that I have been sitting in the council, I have not come across any action being taken against churches if they did not apply for permits,” he added.
He said this does not only apply to churches but also other places of worship like temples and mosques that operate from factories and shop houses, where they would not be disturbed.
How did the english daily come to misquote you? What words of yours did they mis-hear?
I really hope you are telling the truth about there being no need for church permits.
One thing you did not state above is that you are personally AGAINST any possibility of requiring churches to apply for permits. Would you do so if and when such a time comes?