and Queen
Sirikit visiting the temple during their
state visit in 1962. In 1956, Phra Kru Palat Vieng, a veteran member of the
sangha (community of
monks) and an old time resident of
Kuala Lumpur initiated the idea of building a sizeable Buddhist temple close to the federal capital of
Malaya. The federal government of Malaya at the time also rallied to the good cause by giving a grant through Prime Minister
Tunku Abdul Rahman. As the planned structure was to reflect the finest of
Thai temple architecture, the
Fine Arts Department of Thailand in
Bangkok was commissioned to draw up the architectural plans and to oversee the construction of the temple. With the combined workforce of local builders and skilled craftsmen from Thailand, the main shrine together with the temple structures was completed on 26 June 1962 and officiated by the King himself accompanied by Queen
Sirikit. During the special ceremony, the King raising the temple's decorative roof element of
chofa. This was followed with the visits for religious ceremonies by Princess
Sirindhorn, Crown Prince
Vajiralongkorn and Princess
Galyani Vadhana. King Bhumibol also had granted the royal consent for the
King royal insignia to be mounted on the front gable of the building and personally donating the main Buddha shrine of Phra Buddha Thammeen, a rare honour that reflected the King special consideration and compassion towards the construction of the temple. Since then, no additional structures were added until under the
abbotship of Phra Khru Sophitchariyaphorn (Pien Saccadhammo). In 2009,
stupa are being added to the temple where the construction was completed in 2012 with a cost of
RM1.9 million. To commemorate the 2,600th anniversary of Buddha's Enlightenment as well marking the birthday's of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, a portion of sacred relics of Buddha were presented to the temple on 27 June 2012 by the President of the executive committee of His Holiness the
Supreme Patriarch of Thailand and Member of the
Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand, Somdej Phrabuddhacharn as a goodwill from
Thai Buddhists to
Malaysian Buddhists. == Features ==