QuickCheck: Is an effigy of the King of Hell in Alor Setar Malaysia's biggest?

LAST WEEK, it was claimed that an effigy of the King of Hell, or Tai Su Yeah in Hokkien at a temple near Alor Setar, Kedah, is the largest of this deity made in Malaysia to date.

Is this true?

VERDICT:

TRUE

According to the Malaysian Book of Records, this 12.98m effigy made by Gan Kheng Leong over the course of a month is indeed Malaysia's largest of the deity.

Gan said this was also the heaviest Tai Su Yeah effigy he had ever created with help from his family members and workers.

His initial plan, he said, was to make a 12.2m-tall effigy.

“The head itself stands at 4.8m-tall.

“(So) I had to extend its height to keep the body in proportion with the head,” he explained, adding that he also used plywood after he ran out of rattan.

Gan was glad that he completed the statue ahead of schedule despite minor setbacks.

The paper statue created for the Hungry Ghost Festival is now on display at the Tow Boo Keong Temple in Mergong near Alor Star.

Gan has been tasked to make the temple’s Tai Su Yeah effigy for eight consecutive years.

“I increased the height of the effigy by a few inches every year to symbolise continuing improvement.

“Previously, the eyes of this deity of Hell looked straight into the distance but this year, I made them look down upon us.

“Let Tai Su Yeah look at us and bless us with health and wealth throughout the year,” he added.