KOTA KINABALU: Nestled in the tranquil surroundings of Kg Sukang/Mabpai, located just five kilometres from Kota Kinabalu is the Mettiyarama Centre, a serene Buddhist establishment.
Spread across a sprawling piece of one-acre land at a hillside, this establishment is surrounded by jungles where visitors can meander for a while and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Visitors to this place always speak of its peaceful environment and how their visit accords them a better perspective of the Buddhist way of life, and how the place exudes peace and tranquillity.
Most comment that the harmonious existence between nature and buildings in that area reflects Sabahan’s way of life, peaceful and harmonious.
This area was host to Najjiya Mingu, 31, from IKRAM Malaysia (Sabah), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for da’wah, education and welfare, who led nine other visitors from Muslim-based Non-Governmental Organisations under IKRAM to visit. The group was taken for a tour around the area, by their hosts and showed the interesting and informative way the buildings were constructed to include nature in their surroundings.
They were shown around the Centre and walked around their administration office, hall, library and two double-storey buildings for visiting nuns.
They were informed that future constructions would include buildings for children’s activities and a home for the head (Master) of the Buddhist community.
After the tour, the visitors were accorded a vegetarian meal thoughtfully prepared to ensure they had a nutritious and nourishing lunch.
After the visit and lunch, Najjiya shared that her main purpose to visit the centre was to experience and observe the diverse facets of the people of Sabah.
”I am so glad to be here and visit as it gives me a better perspective of a Buddhist establishment. Our main thrusts in this aspect are welfare and education. I believe that identifying and getting to know other sections of the community is essential for us in order to allow us to carry out our work,” she elaborated.
“With this centre, we can work together in various aspects such as mental health, environmental awareness promotions and arts.”
She shared that upon arrival, she was immediately captivated by the peaceful environment that enveloped her as soon as she stepped out of her vehicle.
“When I stepped into the Mettiyarama Centre, I was amazed and captivated by the peaceful environment that enveloped me. The peace I felt was remarkable and so I believe that we can work together to promote mental health, arts and environmental management,” she shared.
She believed that these three subjects could be explored and expanded together with the Buddhist Community as the Mettiyarama Centre had a conducive environment for such activities.
She also admired the landscape and the careful attention to detail especially where the flowering plants around the buildings were meticulously designed to fit in seamlessly with the natural surroundings. The decorative plants blended well with the natural greenery, adding allure to the landscape.
“I am impressed with the friendly hosts who shared their insights about the rapport between nature and human habitation on the centre’s premises. I am amazed with the building layout, the garden and the landscape,” she shared.
“The friendliness and warmth accorded to visitors by the community admirable,” she enthused, adding that she was looking forward to working with the Mettiyarama Centre community.
Her fellow member Siti Norehan Herman agreed with her saying that the Mettiyarama Centre’s admirable coexistence with the natural world was a commitment to preserving and appreciating nature.
“It’s commendable and I am glad we visited,” she declared adding that they didn’t know that this place existed until they visited. This establishment was on their list of must-visit.
According to her, there was a lot that others could learn and benefit from the centre. This included the spaces and buildings dedicated to certain functions for members of the community, where in the Mettiyarama Centre there was the hall where the statue of Buddha was sited, and the library where one could go and look up literature pertaining to Buddhism among others.
“We could build similar buildings for our worshipers too,” she opined.
KadazanDusunMurutRungusSungai (KDMRS) Association Director Abdul Rahim Nasir, 32, from Semporna agreed with her, saying getting an example from an establishment such as the Buddhist could be useful.
“The building and its various functions, as well as the rooms within, can serve as a model for other religious establishments, including our own. Perhaps we could consider dedicating specific spaces or rooms for those who are new to prayer or are learning the Quran. This could be built adjacent to a mosque or surau or within the same compound,” he shared.
“In addition, we could also consider creating similar dedicated rooms for children within this layout, where they are surrounded by nature. I strongly believe that such an environment would be highly conducive to their learning and development.”
Abdul Rahim was quite impressed with the sites and had expected to see a huge Buddha statue at Mettiyarama Centre. To his surprise, there were no statues except for the one in the open hall. All he saw was the beautiful chalet-like buildings surrounded by flowering plants and trees.
Overall they felt that the visit was a tremendous success and extremely beneficial in enhancing understanding and rapport among the people in Sabah.
“Our community has thrived in peace and harmony throughout history. We have embraced diversity, rejecting prejudice based on race or religious background. Our culture, rooted in the values we have upheld for generations, has fostered a spirit of mutual support during challenging times,” Najjiya said, adding that the IKRAM’s effort was to strengthen this norm and promote such harmonious existence to all members of the community in the country.
As for Mettiyarama Centre, people who wished to relax, meditate or just have a quiet time might soon be flocking to it.- BNN
