7 February 2010, Sunday

Leaders of various religious groups and societies attended the Bumi Puja, Ground Breaking Ceremony for a Multipurpose Hall to be built on a land purchased by ISKCON and on a land donated to ISKCON by the Sarawak State government. ISKCON Priest, HG Mani Bhusan Dasa conducted Vastu Puja and Homa for the ceremony.

Yang Berhormat Dato' Yong Khoon Seng , Deputy Minister of Works, Malaysia and parliamentarian for the constituency of Stampin officiated the ceremony. YB Dato' Yong Khoon Seng who had also provided a RM50,000/** state grant to ISKCON Kuching for the building project also pledged to give more assistance. In his speech YB Dato' Yong said that Sarawak truly practices the 1Malaysia concept and from the stage acknowledged amongst those present such as  Dr. Foster (Chairman of the Interfaith Network and Bahai Association of Kuching), Mr. Anthony Raman Nair (Chairman of Kuching Indian Association), Mr. Yap (Vice President of the Kuching Buddhist Society), Mr. Nadesan (Preident of Yayasan Pelajaran Hindu Sarawak), Mr. Sahunderajan (Vice President of the Srinavasagar Kaliamman Temple), Brother Wee (Chairman of the Sathya Sai Organisation) and Mr. Piera Sing (Chairman of the Sarawak Indian Society), Mr. Jacob Sebastian (President of the Sarawak Kabadi Association), Mr. Sasindran (President of the Sri Maha Mariamman Mount Matang Temple) and Me. Melson Chai (former Batu Kawa town counsillor).

ISKCON Kuching Chairman HG Kripa Sindhu Krishna dasa said in his welcome address that he was very grateful to the state government for the continued support and pledged to make available the multipurpose hall for the benefit of all communities. The hall is expected to be completed and will be officially opened on June 12 by YB Dato' Yong Khoon Seng and ISKCON Malaysia GBC His Holiness Prabhavisnu Swami when devotees gather to celebrate the 3rd Annual ISKCON Kuching Ratha Yatra on the same day.

YB Dato' Yong Khoon Seng was also pleased that though there is a need for ISKCON to put up a multipurpose hall, the Bumi Puja ceremony which acknowledged the need to ask permission from Mother Earth before working on the land is a very important ceremony. He appreciated that there is such a ceremony before starting a building project and addressed the need to care for Mother Nature and protect her from the unnecessary exploitation. 

All dignitaries and guests were treated with vegetarian lunch prasadam at the ISKCON Kuching dining hall.

Also reported in Star Malaysia on February 11, 2010:

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/2/11/southneast/5633676&sec=southneast

link to previous articles on ISKCON Kuching:

http://www.easterntimes.com.my/index.php?news_id=1&news_content=13570