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  Arulmigu Sri Raja Kaliamman Glass Temple is the first glass temple in Malaysia. (Photo courtesy: Guang Ming Daily)

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JOHOR BAHRU, JOHOR: As it is the country's first glass temple constructed with 300,000 pieces of coloured glass, including blue, red, yellow, green, purple and white, the Arulmigu Sri Raja Kaliamman Glass Temple has been recorded in the Malaysia Books of Records.

A representative of the Malaysia Books of Records said that 90% of the glass temple was embellished with glass and it was a pride for the country.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the state government would pave a new road at the temple's entrance and erect blue road signs for the temple to facilitate tourists and visitors. He made the announcement at the award ceremony on Wednesday (12 May).

Temple President S. Sinathambhy said that the design was conceptualised during a trip to Bangkok. He was attracted by something shimmering and when he got closer, he found a Buddhist temple with two glass pillars at its entrance.

Therefore, he expanded the idea to attract tourists around the world by building a temple with coloured glass. He then decided to turn the temple that was initially built in 1922 and needed a major makeover into a glass temple.

"The glass temple has been attracting about 30,000 visitors monthly since its completion, allowing the temple to carry out charity work," said Sinathambhy.

He said that he would apply the concept to the surrounding buildings to create a "glass city", including building a double-storey multi-purpose hall, which will be 100% constructed with glass. (Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Guang Ming Daily)