COLOURFUL SIGHT: A fireworks display lights up the sky to mark the opening.
MIRI: The newly-completed Sea Dragon (Shak Lung Kung) Temple will be a new landmark for Miri, helping to boost tourism and the local economy.
Located in Krokop, the temple blends the core beliefs of the Nine Emperor Deities of the Taoism with Buddhism.
“With this symbolic opening of the new dragon temple in Miri, we can now see almost everything here like what you get in China. It represents Chinese culture in its design,” said Assistant Minister of Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin during the opening on Tuesday.
Lee welcomed some 200 delegates from throughout the country as well as Brunei and Thailand for the grand opening.
GRAND OPENING: Visitors flock to the new temple.
“This beautiful temple adds an extra tourist spot in Miri city, and is symbolic of the country’s freedom of religion where we can all enjoy celebrating festivals of different faiths together,” he said.
Lee also highlighted his close friendship with the temple’s founder and Shak Lung Kung Believers Association chairman Ng Khien Ku, who is also known as Green Dragon Master.
“I’m very familiar with the temple’s 20-year history that saw it start very small and relocate to several places like Lopeng and Padang Kerbau, until it finally settled in Krokop here, all thanks to the state government’s help,” he said.
Special thanks also went to businessman Hii King Chiong, who sponsored much of the temple’s construction costs.