Muslim, Hindu reps make peace in spirit of Ramadan

2026-03-18 - 13:20

Mahima president N Sivakumar shaking hands with PPMM adviser Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar after the Harmoni Madani dialogue at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. PUTRAJAYA: In the spirit of Ramadan, representatives of Muslim and Hindu groups held their first meeting to make peace and find common ground in resolving several issues, including the matter of places of worship built without approval. Representatives of the Malaysian Council of Hindu Temples and Hindu Associations (Mahima) and the Malaysian Muslim Lawyers’ Association (PPMM) were joined by community and religious leaders at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre this evening, in what was the first in a series of meetings. The event was seen as a step towards cooling the tensions that had sparked a heated debate across social media in recent weeks. PPMM adviser Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar said today’s dialogue opened a platform for both communities to hold discussions without being influenced by external parties. He described it as an important first step to resolving the issues that surfaced. “We will work towards cooling the tensions that have risen. We will dialogue and discuss with one another, instead of being distracted by third-party commentators or provoked by others. “This is a crucial first step and we want to move forward,” he told a press conference after the Harmoni Madani dialogue session. Zainul said the first round of talks today involved about 20 Muslim representatives and 10 from the Hindu faith, adding that everyone was committed to looking for a harmonious resolution. Mahima president N Sivakumar said the meeting was important for finding a peaceful resolution to disputes between the Hindu and Muslim communities. He said they proposed forming a special committee under the Prime Minister’s Department to conduct a land audit of places of worship. “This was our first preliminary discussion and we have agreed for a roundtable to be held to overcome sensitive issues involving race and unapproved construction,” he said. Sivakumar said all parties involved wanted harmony and that the nation’s unity and peace should not be jeopardised by the actions of a handful of irresponsible people. “We must forget about them and look for common ground,” he said. The closed-door dialogue started at 3pm and went on for four hours. Among those who attended the event were independent preachers Zamri Vinoth and Firdaus Wong, as well as activists S Chandrasegaran and SD Kumaresan Jothi.