KUCHING: The completion of the Mazu (Chinese Sea Goddess) Temple within Muara. Tebas’s Ching San Yan Temple site is a representation of Sarawak’s cultural richness.
State Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, said this after inspecting the progress of the completion of the temple recently.
Advertisement
The construction of the temple, located in his constituency, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As the temple now enters its final stage of completion, Dr Hazland, who is also Demak Laut Assemblyman, expressed relief and satisfaction.
Alongside the long-standing Ching San Yan Temple, the Mazu Temple upon completion is expected to complement the 200-year-old temple beautifully.
The former has represented a cultural uniqueness found only in Sarawak - a Chinese temple with a history of more than 200 years standing on a hillside within a Malay kampung - Kampung Muara Tebas - reflecting the harmonious coexistence and peaceful living among Sarawak’s various ethnic groups from the past to the present.
Both are expected to help promote Sarawak’s tourism industry, while in Sabah where its location although almost a kilometre from the nearest mosque prevented its completion - largely blamed on politics.
Echoing Dr Hazland’s view, the President of the Kuching Hokkien Association, Dato Sri Richard Wee, pointed out that Kampung Muara Tebas is a place of religious integration in Malaysia, as it is home to both a mosque and a historical Chinese temple.
Led by local community leaders, residents look out for one another and come together to celebrate festivals like Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Wee, also the President of the Sarawak United Temples Association, explained that the association serves as a bridge between Sarawak’s temples and the Government as it actively expedites applications by temples that have successfully registered as members with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to submit their applications to the relevant non-Islamic religious authorities.
He called on temples throughout Sarawak to promptly register with ROS to become members and allow the authorities to provide timely assistance for temple construction or expansion projects.
“Sarawakians should feel proud that the Sarawak Government has established a Unit for Other Religions, which fully demonstrates the Government’s recognition of harmony and inclusiveness among the people of Sarawak,” said Wee.
At the same time, he urged all Sarawakians to work hand in hand to reject all forms of extremism and radical thinking.
The consecration ceremony for the Mazu Temple will be held on Jan 8, 2026 (Thursday) at 10am.
Members of the public are warmly invited to attend and take part in this grand occasion.
