GURDWARA SAHIB SUNGEI LEMBING, PAHANG
In the 1930’s, there were a few Sikhs in Sungei Lembing. The Pahang Consolidated Company Limited Tin Mines employed them as watchmen as well as general workers. These Sikhs built the first Gurdwara Sahib building on the banks of the Sungei Lembiril.,,, River. This Gurdwara Sahib was made of wooden planks with an attap roof. During the period of the Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1942 to 1945, this Gurdwara Sahib was not used and gradually fell into disrepair. These were difficult times and most of the Sikhs had to go elsewhere in search of jobs.
At the end of the Japanese occupation, the tin mines commenced operations in Sungei Lembing. Some of the Sikhs returned to their former occupations. The Sikhs built a new Gurdwara Sahib at a different location in Sungei Lembing on the slopes of a small hill in 1946. The British personnel from the tin mines also assisted with donations of cash and materials. At this time, there were three married Sikh families and six Sikh bachelors. By 1967, there were about ten Sikh families residing in Sungei Lembing.
True believers who used to pray in this Gurdwara Sahib often had their wishes come true and difficulties overcome.
Mata Jaginder Kaur of Village Sultanvind, Amritsar performed the duties of a Granthi from 1963 to 1973, in this Gurdwara Sahib.
By the 1980’s, the tin mines started to close and most of the Sikh families left for other towns. In 1989, the Sungei Lembing Gurdwara Sahib was closed and abandoned. The Holy Book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, as well as other assets were donated to the Gurdwara Sahib Kuantan. A small amount of cash was donated to the Gurdwara Sahib Siputeh in the State of Perak.
The above information has been derived from Sardar Mahinder Singh of Kuantan who is the last Sikh to have left Sungei Lembing. He accompanied the author to Sungei Lembing in April 2001 at very short notice. The author was overcome with sadness when he saw what was left of the Gurdwara Sahib, now in ruins, twelve years after its abandonment. The remnants of this old Gurdwara Sahib building were torn down in late 2002 and the land cleared.
The management committee and Sikh sewaks of Gurdwara Sahib Sunway in the State of Selangor together with the Sikh sangat of Gurdwara Sahib Kuantan are now in the process of building a new Gurdwara Sahib on the site of the old Gurdwara Sahib Sungei Lembing. This new Gurdwara Sahib is expected to be completed in mid 2004.
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