THIS is the hanging bridge which connects two hillsides in Broga, a small town straddling the Selangor-Negri Sembilan border.
The bridge, funded by public donations, is part of the Sak Dato Temple complex. The temple is at one end of Broga New Village.
According to the caretaker, the temple was originally a cave shrine set up by early Chinese settlers about 140 years ago. It grew into a temple after it was believed to have brought prosperity to worshippers. The evidence of this can be seen roll of honour plaques listing the names of those who had donated substantially to the building of various sections of the temple.
Work is ongoing to improve the popular tourist attraction.
Sections of the temple built on various levels are connected by flights of concrete staircases, including the original cave shrine. A beautiful garden sits on the highest point. Here you can find a herb yard with plants and their names and medicinal uses tagged.
Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view and take a walk across the hanging bridge to the neighbouring hill to get a closer view of the 15m-high Monkey God statue standing on its top. It overlooks the temple and the new village below.
I painted this scene at the entrance of the hanging bridge. A small donation box is placed at the entrance of the bridge and most visitors who use the bridge will drop in a ringgit or two. The money is used for the maintenance of the bridge.
The surrounding hills are rich in flora and fauna. While painting this, I hear the screaming of eagles hovering overhead as well as the distant howling of the arboreal black furred gibbons known as siamang.
Es Tung is a former NST journalist who is now pursuing his passion for art.