SIBU: Construction of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at Jalan Orchid here which has reached 70 per cent completion is now facing a financial hurdle.
It is short of about RM600,000 to complete the project.
According to Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, initially, the cost of building the temple was put at RM1.1 million.
However, construction work was delayed due to Covid-19, causing the cost to increase to RM1.6 million.
“I will do my best to help them raise the remaining RM500,000, and hopefully, it can be done as soon as possible so that they can complete their temple,” he said.
He said this after presenting a RM100,000 cheque from the Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) to the temple here on Sunday (Nov 26).
Dr Annuar who is Nangka assemblyman said, to date, the Sarawak government has allocated a fund of RM1 million to assist in the completion of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.
“The funds were distributed through Unifor and the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP).
“A sum of RM700,000 came from Unifor and RM300,000 from the Nangka Service Centre. So, the total amount is RM1 million,” he said.
Also present were temple President Manogaran Krishnasamy, political secretary to the Premier Sayed Azmi Wan Junaidi and SMC deputy chairman Mohammed Abdullah Izkandar Roseley.
