Venerable Dhammananda's journey to Malaya took three days. Upon his arrival in Penang on January 5, 1952, Venerable Dhammananda stayed at the Mahindarama Buddhist Temple.

The abbot then was Venerable K. Gunaratana Maha Nayaka Thera (1891-1964), a Sinhalese monk well known for his lucid and simple explanations of the Buddha's teachings. He took the opportunity to discuss with Venerable Gunaratana some of the problems and issues involved in propagation work in Malaya. It was a practical arrangement, with Venerable Gunaratana concentrating his missionary efforts in Penang while Venerable Dhammananda focussed on the Kuala Lumpur area. Venerable Gunaratana had been in Malaya since 1926 and was quite familiar with the situation of Buddhism in the country.

Malaya during the 1950s was in the midst of the Emergency, declared by the British Military Administration, due to the Communist insurgency. As a result he had to take a flight to Kuala Lumpur as the train services in the country were disrupted by Communist attacks. He arrived at the Brickfields Temple, and was warmly welcomed by Venerable M. Pannasiri Maha Thera, a former colleague from the Vidyalankara Pirivena. Having come to serve the Buddhist community in Malaya, Venerable Dhammananda wasted no time in planning out the religious activities at the Temple.