GEORGE TOWN, March 5 — The oldest gurdwara in the country, Wadda Gurdwara Sahib, in Penang will soon be listed as a national heritage site, Penang heritage commissioner Rosli Nor said today.
He said an application to the national heritage department to list the 122-year-old gurdwara was made back in 2019.
The national heritage department requested for additional information and documentation of the gurdwara early this year, he said.
“All the necessary information was submitted and last month, when we inquire about it, we were told that they are satisfied with the history and background of the gurdwara for it to be listed as a national heritage,” he said.
Rosli said on principle the application is already approved.
“We are only pending an official announcement from the national heritage department,” he said.
Rosli was speaking to reporters at a joint press conference with state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo after a site visit to check on the restoration progress of the gurdwara.
The gurdwara is currently undergoing massive restoration works that started in March 2019.
Jagdeep said the restoration works were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic over the last two years.
“Now that all sectors are open and back to normal, I hope restoration works will continue in earnest,” he said.
Rosli said the first three phases of the restoration works are already completed and now it has to progress to the next phase that included detailed interior and exterior works.
“A tender will be called for the next phase and it is expected to start in June,” he said.
He said there is a commitment for the timeline of the next phase to complete within 18 months.
The costs of the restoration works were initially RM4 million but the delays and rise in prices of raw materials have led to an increase of the costs to RM5.9 million.
Jagdeep said the state government has also allocated some funds to the gurdwara for its restoration works through its non-Islamic places of worship (RIBI) fund.
He said the RIBI fund has approved 209 applications for funding and released a total RM8.7million to temples, churches and Gurdwaras since 2016.
