According to a Malaysiakini report, the temple also said it would relinquish its claim over a piece of land which sparked the dispute, adding that it would cooperate with the authorities in the matter.

The land in question allows access to another piece of land where the education ministry is building a secondary school.

It was previously reported that a “misunderstanding” had arisen after the temple committee put up fences along the road reserve leading to a piece of land behind the temple.

This led to the fracas on Tuesday. To date, 24 people have been arrested.

“We express our deepest regrets, and apologise for the confusion and controversy that arose from the incident,” said the temple.

In a separate statement, deputy education minister Mah Hang Soon thanked the temple for apologising and clarifying that the incident had nothing to do with race or religion.

He also said the relevant authorities had met with the stakeholders to explain that the construction of the school would benefit some 7,000 households of a people’s housing project that would be built nearby.