SANDAKAN: Representatives from China’s Xinhua News Agency Kuala Lumpur bureau visited one of Sabah’s oldest temples on Wednesday as part of a tour of Sandakan’s cultural heritage.
Wang Jiawei and Jonathan Tham were accompanied by Lai King Hang, founder and chairman of the Sandakan Heritage Trail, to the Tam Kung Temple at Mile 1½ Jalan Utara.
The temple, originally built in 1876 by Au Tze Choo and his followers, is the only temple dedicated to the deity Tam Kung in Sabah.
Although widely venerated in China, the Sandakan temple holds unique local significance. It was restored and gazetted in 1993, with its original structure preserved inside a new building—a design often described as “an old temple within a new temple.”
Chok Yen Li, chairlady of the temple, along with her committee members, welcomed the delegation and detailed the site’s history.
The visit also included the adjacent Chi Hwa national-type Chinese Primary School, due to its foundational ties with the temple. The school’s board members led by chairman Chan Tzun Hei, provided a tour and explained the institution’s important role in Sandakan’s community development.
The Xinhua representatives’ tour highlighted the enduring cultural and historical connections within Sandakan’s Chinese community. – James Leong
Wang and Jonathan (3rd and 4th left), with temple and school officials during their visit on Wednesday.
