PETALING JAYA: A permit is not required for churches to operate out of commercial premises or offices, says Elizabeth Wong (pic).

In a press statement released on Tuesday evening, the Selangor executive councillor said since 2008, all churches need to do is to send a notification to the state Committee on Non-Islam Affairs (Hesi).

"This is based on the principle that Article 11 of the Federal Constitution embodies freedom of worship.

"Therefore, today's statement by the MBPJ public relations officer, as reported in a newspaper that churches in office blocks need to apply for permits is not accurate," she said.

On Tuesday, MBPJ officers classified the church in Taman Medan at the centre of the "cross protest" as unlicensed as it had not submitted a written application to operate as a place of worship.

It also said that the church at Metro Square PJS2B/3 had no permit to put up a cross on its building.

Wong said there was no such policy as stated by the committee, and just a notification to them sufficed.

"If any local councils have any issues or questions, they are to refer it back to Hesi.

"There are, however, existing guidelines on stand-alone non-islamic buildings of worship which cover land applications, land conversions, buildings, demolitions and applications for funds," she said.

Wong said the state government found the forcible removal of the Cross abhorrent to Christians and the Federal Constitution which enshrined the freedom of worship.

"In the meeting, we advised the Church to return the cross to its original site to stop this precedent of mob rule by politically-aligned extremists.

"At the same time, we call upon the Royal Malaysian Police to take this matter very seriously in order to ensure the safety of worshippers are protected at all times and there will be no repeats of such cases in Selangor," said Wong.