AFTER seven years, the new Seremban Fo Guang Yuan Centre in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, began construction and when ready, will not only be another landmark Buddhist temple but also a cultural and educational centre that combines education, Dharma promotion, and culture.
Matrix Concepts Holdings Berhad's founder and Group Executive Deputy Chairman, Datuk Seri Lee Tian Hock not only donated property to the centre but also funded the entire civil construction cost of the new fortress.
Speaking at the recent groundbreaking ceremony, Lee said the centre will also be involved in the development of young children and provide a complete forum for local Buddhist people and believers.
This construction plan costs RM16 million and spans 1.86 acres with an area of around 60,000 square feet. The centre is scheduled to be ready in two and a half years.
Its facilities will comprise a main hall, a kindergarten, a social education classroom, a dining hall, a dripping workshop, a youth activity centre, a meditation hall, and an auditorium that can seat more than 200 people.
Today, Bandar Sri Sendayan boasts a Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh temple, and will soon welcome the Methodist Church.
Negeri Sembilan State Executive Councilor, Teo Kok Seong who was also at the groundbreaking ceremony, said the new Fo Guang Yuan base in Seremban demonstrates the state government's openness and transparency, allowing various religions to conduct activities in the state.
"I recall Fo Guang Shan in Bahau having land concerns in its early years of the workplace. Fortunately, Fo Guang members and the state administration worked together to overcome the concerns," he said.
He claimed that the state cherished people's religious beliefs and had developed a Non-Islamic Affairs Action Committee to help varied religious organisations with property and financial issues.
On behalf of the state government, he announced an RM20,000 allocation to support the establishment of Seremban Fo Guang Yuan's new base. - The Vibes, April 13, 2024
