Selvaraj (standing front row, fifth from left) presents a programme booklet on the temple’s launching ceremony to Lee.
MIRI: More than 1,000 members of the Miri Hindu Society (MHS) will have a place to worship once their temple is completed by the end of this month.
The Sri Kamini Thurga Iswari Amman Alayam Temple at Taman Tunku here will be the first Hindu temple here.
MHS chairman Selvaraj Grapragasem said the RM1 million project was about 85 per cent completed.
“The project started in April last year and is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
“We are very thankful, especially to the state government, organisations, and the public for their donations to make Miri’s first Hindu temple a reality,” he said when Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin visited the project site on Saturday.
The temple’s launching and ‘Maha Kumbabishegam’ ceremony will take place on July 10, from 9am to 11am.
Selvaraj, however, said MHS still needed more money for temple facilities and amenities; hence he appealed to the public for more donations.
He said MHS had also organised fundraising events last year, such as the Deepavali Carnival.
Lee said the support given by the government yet again showed it was concerned about the welfare of the minority and upheld the freedom of religion.
He suggested that the temple and Hwa Kwang Shi Temple, located just opposite the road, share their carparks.
“I will talk to the management of Hwa Kwang Shi Temple on this. Perhaps this can be another clear proof of religious tolerance and understanding in Sarawak, like what is being practised by a mosque and a church in Lutong, which have been sharing carpark for years.”
Also present at the function was Miri Immigration head Roy G Fender, who have also been helping the temple, particularly in terms of logistics.
Members of the public who wish to donate to the temple can contact Selvaraj at 013-80139695 or email him at [email protected] for more information.