Menteri besar Amirudin Shari said enforcement must be carried out comprehensively as the issue covered a wide range of illegal land use, whether on government or privately owned land.

“Encroachment is not only about temples or houses of worship, but also agriculture, commercial activities, factories and so on.

“In fact, over the past decade or so, we have been actively demolishing illegal factories.

“Although such actions are unpopular, I believe it is the right step to ensure that laws and regulations are enforced,” he told the Selangor state legislative assembly today.

He was responding to a query from Zamri Zainuldin (PN-Sungai Burong) on issues related to land encroachment in Selangor.

Amirudin said cases involving houses of worship on private land require a more cautious approach as they involve religious sensitivities and social harmony.

He said enforcement carried out without consultation or respect for religious practices could trigger unnecessary tensions.

As such, he said the state government had activated the district security working committee, chaired by district officers, to act as a mediator between landowners, local authorities, land offices, and the police.

He said the committee helped facilitate peaceful resolutions to encroachment issues, particularly those involving long-established places of worship in certain areas.