GEORGE TOWN – Penang’s renowned Sikh temple and the largest in Southeast Asia, the Wadda Gurdawara, is undergoing restoration at a cost of RM5.5 million.
Funding has come through the assistance of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who allocated RM270,000, and State and Local Government exco Jagdeep Singh Deo, who gave more than RM90,000, as well as community contributions.
At a prayer session in celebration of Guru Nanak’s 551st birthday, Wadda Gurdwara president Daljit Singh said the temple has spent more than RM60,000 feeding more than 2,000 families since the start of the movement control order (MCO) in March imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19.
He said food, cooked by the community and Chinese and Indian volunteers, were distributed across Penang island, as well as farther afield, such as Taiping and Ipoh. The temple also assisted families in finding accommodation and household supplies.
"Our hospitality culture is still practised till today, even more so during this pandemic," he said.
Proof positive of the temple's goodwill in the community is the changing of the name of the road where the temple is located, which used to be called Brick Kiln Road, to Jalan Gurdwara. – The Vibes, December 1, 2020
