Penang Buddhist Association – a heart of devotion

It was a bright, sun-dappled morning when I stepped into the grounds of Penang Buddhist Association (PBA) and there it stood – the magnificent Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa). I marvelled at its presence, imagining the journey of the sapling that once was – now grown into a towering testament of faith and endurance. This is no ordinary tree. A sacred gift from Sri Lanka, it is believed to be a direct descendant of the very fig tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. Its lineage, through the revered Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura – planted in 288 BCE – connects Penang to a living legacy of over two millennia.

Planting the first roots

Like the sacred Bodhi tree within its grounds, PBA too sprouted from a single seed – an idea planted in the early 1920s by a group of devoted Straits Chinese Buddhists. At a time when Penang’s diverse immigrant communities were establishing ethnic-based Theravāda temples, shifting demographics saw Chinese worshippers become the majority. Many temples began to incorporate Taoist and Chinese customs. In response, PBA was envisioned as a sanctuary for pure teachings of Buddhism, free from syncretism and superstition.

With support from community leaders and philanthropists, this vision took root in 1925. PBA was officially registered with the Registrar of Societies on 25 February and the Government Gazette Notification No. 441 (dated 6 March 1925) listed its nine founders: Lee Swee Bee, Lim Chean Seang, Lim Boon Chin, Lim Eu Teong, Ong Boon Sin, Lim Teong Aik, Teoh Teik Thuan, Chew Eng Bang and Lim Say Eng. These pioneers laid the foundation for what became the first Buddhist institution in Malaya dedicated solely to the unadulterated propagation of the Dharma. Thus, two years later under the leadership of its Residence Priest Venerable Kee Tong, the association discouraged ritualistic excesses like burning paper effigies, placing emphasis instead on the Noble Eightfold Path.

In its early years, PBA operated without a permanent home, first based at Siang Kheng Si, a temple at Jalan Perak and later at Kim Ho Keong temple at Jalan Datuk Kramat as membership swelled. From 1928 onwards, a fundraising drive offered life membership to donors of $120 or more; those who gave double had their names engraved on the association’s ancestral tablet. In 1929, land was acquired opposite Datuk Kramat Padang and efforts intensified. The launch of a provident fund in 1930 – offering retirement benefits – was a visionary move that drew new members, raising membership to 540 that year.

After two years of construction, the Penang Buddhist Association officially inaugurated its own premises at 168 Anson Road – a distinguished building in the late Straits Eclectic style. In a press article (The Straits Echo, 9 July 1930), architect Mr Chew Eng Eng noted that the steel framework and other materials were specially imported from England. The entire project, including the cost of the land, amounted to nearly $80,000. The new home, with its colonnaded verandahs, European-style arches and a façade embellished with floral plaster motifs, was opened in mid-1931. 

A year later, in 1932, the pagoda was added, followed by the monks’ quarters in 1933. The seven-tiered pagoda houses 56 Buddha statues.

Inside the main prayer hall of the Penang Buddhist Association, two life-sized white marble Buddha statues were initially installed – one in a seated position, the other standing. These statues were commissioned from a renowned sculptor in Italy, with the order placed through a London firm at considerable cost, amounting to thousands of dollars at the time.

Today, the hall houses six such statues, each brilliantly carved in immaculate white marble with remarkable grace and precision. According to PBA general worker Mr Teoh Yew Foo, early photographs show that these sculptures were originally unadorned, with no painted embellishments on the eyes or lips – details that appear to have been added later. 

The association's Chinese name, 槟城佛学院, meaning "Penang Buddhist Institute", is prominently inscribed on the building’s façade – a meaningful presence for the Chinese-speaking community and a symbol of its cultural and spiritual roots. With an inclusive approach that welcomed both Mahāyāna and Theravāda practitioners, it soon became a spiritual anchor for the Penang’s Chinese Buddhist community. By 1935, membership had reached 7,062, with over half enrolled in the provident fund. By 1940, that number more than doubled to 16,164, with 12,011 beneficiaries of the fund.

Weathering the tempests

The journey was not without trials. During the Japanese Occupation of Malaya (1941–1945), the Penang Buddhist Association was coerced into paying a substantial sum of $46,547.19 to the Japanese Military Administration. According to the New Straits Times (27 May 2018), this amount was the association’s share of a $50 million “donation” forcibly levied on the Chinese community across Malaya in exchange for the return of seized property. The payment was widely viewed as a means to mitigate further reprisals and reduce the loss of life in a time of great fear and uncertainty.

Following the end of the War, a historic Peace Service was held in PBA’s main shrine hall to honour those who had perished during the brutal occupation. Among those who attended the solemn event were Sir Malcolm MacDonald, then Governor-General of Malaya and Dr Ong Chong Keng, a prominent leader in the Penang community.

Beneath a canopy of growth

Emerging from the devastation of war, the association resumed its activities with renewed purpose, continuing to serve as a spiritual anchor for the community. It blossomed into a vibrant hub for Buddhist learning, meditation, youth engagement and cultural celebration. Under the guidance of Venerable Mahā Thera K. Sri Dhammananda, who frequently visited and preached at PBA during the 1950s and 60s, the association embraced a broader vision of socially engaged Buddhism. Regular Dharma talks, delivered in Hokkien or translated into the dialect, drew audiences both young and old, nurturing a deeper understanding of the teachings. In 1948, the Penang Buddhist Association began publishing its own newsletter to further disseminate the Dharma.

The spread on pages 41–42 of the 85th Anniversary Commemorative Coffee Table Book of the Mahindarma Buddhist Temple features a collage of photographs documenting the very first Wesak Day procession in Penang. 

In April 1949, a memorial signed by 229 Buddhist organisations and individuals from across the Federation was submitted to the High Commissioner, appealing for Wesak Day to be recognised as a public holiday. On 28 April, a press announcement confirmed that for the first time in the nation’s history, Wesak Day – which fell on 12 May that year – would be observed as a public holiday in Penang, Malacca and several other states. That same year, Penang witnessed its first Wesak Day procession, which began at the Mahindarma Buddhist Temple and concluded at the Penang Buddhist Association. The strong support of the late Ven. K. Gunaratana Nayaka Maha Thera, Chief Monk of the Mahindarma Buddhist Temple, was instrumental in establishing what has now become an annual Wesak procession in Penang.

On 9 January 1955, the Penang Buddhist Youth Circle was established with the aim of studying and propagating the Dharma, while also fostering fellowship among Buddhist youth.

Right: China Press article (11 February 2016) highlighting the legacy of American-born Buddhist monk Ven. Sumangalo (Robert Stuart Clifton), honoured in the Father Sumangalo Memorial Hall. Established in 2016, the hall commemorates the revered monk – founder of the Penang Buddhist Association Dharma Sunday School (PBADSS) and Father of Malaysian Buddhist Youth Movements. Located on the ground floor of the PBADSS library, it features rare documents, photographs and artefacts reflecting his enduring impact.

In 1964, PBA established a kindergarten within its premises – a pioneering move that addressed the needs of working parents. For a nominal fee, young children received early education with Buddhist values. That kindergarten still operates today, now serving its second and third generations of Penangites.

The following years brought broader societal challenges. In 1965, the Penang Wesak Day procession was cancelled for the first time since the festival had been declared a public holiday about 15 years earlier. The suspension continued in 1966 due to the ongoing state of emergency. Decades later, the tradition faced renewed disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, with processions cancelled in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Yet even without the grand processions, devotees upheld the spirit of Wesak through limited temple services, charitable acts and the symbolic release of captive animals, in adherence to health and safety protocols.

Cheerful children from the Dharma Sunday School, dressed in white t-shirts with the PBA 100th anniversary logo, waved Buddhist flags as they joined members in the 2025 Vesak Day procession through the streets of George Town.

The 1980s and 90s were marked by several physical and programmatic improvements. The hall was refurbished, with gilding and polishing restored where needed. The Dharma Sunday School was expanded to include more classrooms and teachers. Bilingual classes in English and Mandarin ensured accessibility across linguistic backgrounds. PBA saw an infusion of youthful energy as Buddhist societies from local schools and colleges began affiliating with the temple. Young devotees took part in Sunday Dhamma classes, choir groups and community service projects. 

PBA also launched its Free Medical Aid Service on 16 August 1992, initially dispensing traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Western medical services were added on 5 March 1994. Open to all, these free clinics have provided care and relief to countless individuals over the years.

Extending compassion to shelter the elderly

Although plans for a Senior Citizens’ Home were approved at the association’s 65th AGM in 1995, it only began operations with the intake of its first two residents in November 2001. A decade later, on 9 January 2011, the new Penang Buddhist Association Senior Citizens’ Home was officially opened by then Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Located along Perak Road in a five-storey facility near the association’s main premises, the home provides free lodging for elderly individuals aged 60 to 75 with no immediate family. Open to people of all races and religions, the facility can accommodate up to 300 residents who are reasonably healthy, as it does not offer nursing care.

The treasures within

Today, visitors to the Penang Buddhist Association encounter more than a century of living history. Just outside the main entrance stands the iconic PBA pagoda – a seven-storey structure inspired by Chinese Buddhist design, symbolising the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. Encircled by a tranquil moat where koi fish glide through the waters, the pagoda is crowned by a chattra (Sanskrit for “parasol”), an auspicious emblem of royalty and spiritual protection.

Stepping into the main shrine hall, one is immediately enveloped by a serene and majestic atmosphere with its high-vaulted ceiling, lotus-patterned floor tiles, multi-tiered chandeliers and furnishings inlaid with delicate mother-of-pearl motifs.

At the centre of the hall, a large square shrine organises the Buddhist pantheon into distinct yet harmonious sections. Facing the main entrance are figures of Amitabha Buddha, flanked by Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta – representatives of the Mahayana tradition.

Positioned on the reverse side of the same shrine sits Gautama Buddha, accompanied by his foremost disciples Sariputra and Moggallana, reflecting the Theravada tradition. Each figure is carved from white Italian Carrara marble. This arrangement – presenting Mahayana and Theravada Buddha-rupa together – is a rare and profound symbol of PBA’s non-sectarian spirit, likely unique in the Buddhist world.

Surrounding the central shrine are intricately crafted Peranakan-style altar tables, each inlaid with mother-of-pearl and adorned with Buddhist paraphernalia – vases, oil lamps, candles and a multitude of statues, mostly from the Mahayana tradition –providing devotees with space to offer prayers and make offerings.

In many ways, the PBA stands as a landmark of original Malaysian Buddhist temple architecture. It blends rich Straits Chinese design with a spiritually inclusive ethos that embraces both Theravada and Mahayana lineages. This synthesis reflects the broader Malaysian spirit of cosmopolitanism and cultural acceptance.

If it is your first time at PBA, do visit the Bodhi tree in the garden courtyard, grown from a sacred cutting from Sri Langka, gifted by a visiting monk in 1931.

Behind the main hall, nestled within a serene Chinese garden, stands a statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, before which koi swim in a tranquil pond.

The centenary celebration

In 2025, the Penang Buddhist Association celebrates its centenary with the theme, “A Timeline of Strength and Fun.” In anticipation, the association has begun collecting photographs, archival materials, and personal stories from its members for a commemorative publication. While a grand celebration is planned for the end of the year, the building has already received a fresh coat of paint and was spruced up in time for the Wesak Day festivities this May. Interesting programmes  are in the pipeline – each event honouring the legacy of the founders while celebrating a hundred years of remarkable milestones.

Sacred branches outstretch for growing

Today, as the Bodhi tree’s canopy continues to spread, so too does the association’s outreach – embracing Dharma Sunday School for children and teens, adult Buddhist education, Chinese New Year and Wesak charity drives, as well as regular visits and sharings by esteemed monks and scholars from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and beyond.

On 12 May 2025, a lively Vesak Day food fair was held on the grounds of PBA to raise funds, selling tasty bites, t-shirts and keepsakes. Among the youngest vendors was 9-year-old Low Sze Yuan (right), who handcrafted charming paper clay keychains and donated all her RM300 in sales that morning to PBA.

Each year, thousands gather at PBA – not only on Wesak Day to honour the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha, but throughout the year, drawn by programmes that strengthen faith and translate belief into daily action. Just as vital is the association’s steadfast generosity – extending financial aid and scholarships, providing food assistance, and contributing to disaster relief efforts both locally and abroad, embodying the spirit of compassion in meaningful, tangible ways.

Like the sacred Bodhi tree beneath which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, the Penang Buddhist Association remains a place of refuge, wisdom and spiritual growth. Rooted in Penang’s multicultural soil and nourished by a century of devotion, it stands as a living symbol of unity – a testament to what a compassionate community can nurture when guided by heart, purpose and faith.

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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah
© All Rights Reserved
12 May 2025

Penang Buddhist Association
168, Jalan Anson, George Town, 10400 Penang
T: +604–228 0910, +6011-5874 5862
Open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm daily