The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is set to have the highest ‘Raja Gopuram’ or monumental entrance tower in Borneo upon the completion of its new temple, said temple president Shankar Ram.

He said the 18-meter six-storey tower is part of a new temple currently being built at a cost of RM3.5 million to replace the existing structure which will be demolished.

Construction is expected to take 18 months.

“Today is a very important and historic day because we are doing the ‘bumi puja’ – laying the foundation in a proper ritualistic way for this Hindu temple,” he said when met at the earth-breaking ceremony for the new temple at Jalan Rock, yesterday.

 Shankar expressed his gratitude to the Sarawak government, especially Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, for having contributed RM2.3 million towards the construction cost.

“If not for the Sarawak government, it would be very difficult for us to come up with this very beautiful temple that will be the pride of Borneo,” he said.

Shankar said the new Hindu temple could become a tourist attraction, as many visitors from countries such as Indonesia, India, and Australia had previously visited the current temple.

Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who was the guest-of-honor at the event, said it was former chief minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, who started the ball rolling by setting up the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) to look after the interests of non-Muslim religious bodies in the state.

Dr Sim said Abang Johari has continued Adenan’s legacy and has allocated as much as RM50 million to the unit for this year alone.

“Regardless of race or religion, we are all Sarawakians and we want to share the prosperity with everyone because we are all ‘anak-anak Sarawak’ (Sarawak children),” he added.