By Abdul Rahim Sabri
SHAH ALAM, Nov 12 — A small town nestled in the Kuala Selangor district and home to some 10,000 residents, Bukit Rotan strongly depicts a harmonious community of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Mosques, churches, temples, and shrines; all coexist peacefully, demonstrating the community’s openness to all faiths.
Masjid Al-Nuriah and the Sri Shakthi Dhevasthanam Temple are located within a fence length of 50 metres, with a post office that first opened 100 years ago still serving its community nestled in between the two.
To the right of the mosque and separated by a small road stands the Tamil Methodist Church, which is as old as the mosque, both constructed in 1922. Just in front of the mosque is a private Chinese temple, and all of the four religious buildings are found on a 200-metre stretch along the main route between Sabak Bernam and Kuala Selangor.
The Hindu temple, constructed about 110 years ago, was renovated and expanded in the early 2000s on a one-acre piece of land before it was allowed to reopen in 2013.
In Bukit Rotan, the camaraderie between the Malay and Indian communities was told behind a story of a cow reserved for the ‘korban’ ceremony at Masjid Al-Nuriah, which went missing on the eve of Aidiladha seven years ago.
A news portal reported the incident, which stated the cow reportedly broke free from its tether and entered the Hindu temple area. While Hindus consider cows sacred, one of the temple’s priests found the cow, returned it back to the mosque and tied it up.
Reminiscing the story, Sri Shakti Temple chairman Shivasri AP Muthukumara Shivachariyaar, 76, confirmed the incident that was reported by the media.
“That (story) was some time ago, but it is true, it did happen. The cow was tied up there (in the mosque), and then it got loose.
“At that time, the temple president was Subramaniam. Some kids said a cow was there (pointing to the temple area). He (Subramaniam) asked them to catch it and hand it over. He then handed it over (back) to them (the mosque),” Shivasri told SelangorKini in an interview on October 30.
In the Free Malaysia Today report on April 22, the mosque’s nazir, Kassim Abdullah, described the Hindu priest’s respectful manner in helping the mosque’s congregation find the escaped cow just before Aidiladha.
Spirit of Harmony
Sharing the secret to harmony within the local community, Shivasri said the people have a mutual understanding of their differences and do not favour expressing animosity or rage against one another.
“All the races here grew up together. They have been close friends since childhood. I have Chinese and Muslim neighbours, and my father’s village is nearby.
“Many are of different races and religions, living as neighbours. We have been living together as such from a young age. Therefore, we have a mutual understanding,” he said.
Shivasri added the Hindu temple community readily accepts invitations to events or celebrations from the mosque, church, or Chinese temple.
He added that he never received complaints about the religious ceremonies held in the small town as the community of the mosque, church, and Hindu and Chinese temples in Bukit Rotan are known to represent harmony through a spirit of consensus-building, mutual respect, and compromise.
In a previous interview with SelangorKini in December last year, Reverend Jared Thamilcelvan of the Tamil Methodist Church said despite differences in faiths, the community does not get swayed by the polarising racial and religious sentiments that certain individuals sometimes raise.
He said representatives of the mosque and temple are easily approachable to hold discussions and often extend assistance, such as necessities, food, and financial support, to the public regardless of their religious beliefs.
