SHAH ALAM, May 11 — The Selangor State Government aims to set a national record by assembling 666 statues of Prince Siddhartha in conjunction with the state-level Wesak Day celebration, which will be held on June 6 to foster multicultural harmony and deepen public understanding of Buddhist culture.

Selangor Non-Islamic Affairs Committee Chairman Ng Sze Han said the selection of the number of statues symbolises the unique date of this year’s celebration, which falls on June 6, 2026.

With the theme “Bridging Through Digital, Cultivating Wisdom Together”, this year’s celebration will take place over three days from June 5 to 7 at the Sugata Dharma Vihara Temple in Jenjarom and is expected to attract 5,000 visitors.

“Alongside the central bathing ritual, the festival will offer a comprehensive, family-friendly programme of activities, including spiritual and traditional blessing and chanting sessions by Mahayana and Theravada monks, Chinese and Sanskrit sutra-copying, and prayer wheel activities,” he said during a press conference at the State Secretariat Building Annex Hall here today.

Ng, who is also Selangor Investment, Trade and Mobility Committee chairman said the annual programme, organised since 2009, aims to foster multicultural harmony and aligns with the Visit Selangor Year 2026 campaign to promote cultural tourism.

He said the opening ceremony is expected to be officiated by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on the highlight day, June 6, at 9am.

“In addition to religious rituals, we are also providing interactive craft workshops such as woodblock printing, Bodhi leaf crafting, and Dharma-quote canvas bag making. Another unique feature this year is the Buddhist Stamp Exhibition by the World Buddhist Stamps Gallery, which showcases the life story of the Buddha through a unique collection of postage stamps,” he said.

Meanwhile, Organising Committee chairman and Kajang assemblyman David Cheong Kian Young said various family-oriented activities have also been arranged to attract visitors of all ages.

“It is designed to guide the public back to the core significance of Wesak, the Triple Celebration commemorating the Buddha’s birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana, thereby enhancing society’s accurate understanding of the faith,” he said.

He said complimentary health screening services, including bone density, cholesterol and muscle mass checks, will also be provided for the local community.

The celebration is organised in collaboration with the Malaysian Buddhist Consultative Council (MBCC) and is supported by the Malaysian Buddhist Association Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Branch and the Maha Karuna Buddhist Society. — Bernama