MALAYSIAN actor and TV host Lishalliny Kanaran has bravely come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct by a temple priest at a Hindu temple in Salak Tinggi, revealing a deeply traumatic incident that occurred in what she believed was a sacred and safe space.
Taking to Instagram, Lishalliny shared her ordeal with raw honesty: “This is hard. This is definitely hard for me to share... I now have the strength to say why.”
On June 21, she visited the temple alone while her mother was in India.
Though never deeply religious, she had recently been seeking spiritual guidance and learning how to pray. The priest at the temple — someone she had trusted — offered to tie a protective string and bless her with holy water.
“Even as I followed him [to the office], something didn’t feel right. Something in my gut was uneasy,“ she recounted.
Inside the temple’s office, the priest allegedly poured an overpowering liquid into the holy water and splashed it on her face, stinging her eyes. Then, under the guise of a blessing, he asked her to lift her Punjabi suit. She refused.
“Suddenly, he held my head and continued murmuring... and then, without warning, he put his hands inside my blouse, into my bra, and started touching me inappropriately.”
When she froze in shock, unable to move or speak, the priest allegedly told her: “It would be a blessing if you did ‘it’ with me because I serve God.”
“The one place I thought I’d find peace, the one place I was seeking a connection with something greater — that was where it happened. At a temple,“ she shared.
In the comments under Lishalliny’s post, another woman courageously shared that she had experienced a similar incident at the same temple on 30 June 2025 — just nine days after Lishalliny’s ordeal.
For two weeks, Lishalliny kept the incident to herself — crying herself to sleep, feeling ashamed, and breaking apart quietly. On July 4, after her mother returned, she finally found the courage to speak. Her family reacted immediately, lodging a police report that same day.
Police launch manhunt for suspect
Following the police report, a manhunt is now underway to track down the monk who allegedly molested the victim at the temple.
According to The Star, Sepang district police chief Asst Comm Norhizam Bahaman confirmed that the victim lodged a report on Friday (July 4).
It is learnt that the suspect is a substitute at the temple in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, as the regular priest is overseas.
Norhizam added the suspect sprinkled water on the victim as part of a prayer ritual before allegedly molesting her.
Efforts to trace the suspect are underway, with the case is being investigated under Section 354 of the Penal Code for intent to outrage modesty.
In her post, Lishalliny saidwhen her family went along with her to the temple to confront the accused, they discovered he had already fled the scene.
The temple management seemed more concerned with protecting the temple’s image than with addressing the allegations.
“Apparently, someone had already reported him before — and no action was taken,“ Lishalliny revealed.
The chairman claimed the priest had vanished and downplayed their connection to him.
Throughout the entire process, Lishalliny felt like the temple leadership and even some authorities weren’t entirely supportive. “They tried to talk me into silence. But I won’t stay quiet anymore.”
Standing for Others
Lishalliny made it clear that her intention in sharing her story is not to seek pity, but to stand for those who have suffered in silence — and to tell them they are not alone.
“You are not to blame. You did nothing wrong. And if you ever need someone — I’m here. You are not alone.”
Among the voices rallying behind Lishalliny following her post is Indian playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada, who herself was ostracised from the Tamil film industry after speaking out during the #MeToo movement in 2018.
In a comment, Chinmayi wrote: “I stand with you. I hope you approach the police and report this, since I’m seeing another comment that this has happened to someone else at the same temple.”
“And always remember: IT IS NOT AND NEVER YOUR FAULT. IT IS NOT YOUR SHAME.”
