TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW ONE: The entrance of Masjid Bandar Kuching at the busy Gambier Street in Kuching city.
Dr Shajahan Sayeed Ahmad
KUCHING: The vicinity of India Street, Gambier Street and the waterfront will see a new landmark in a form of a new mosque.
President and administrator of Masjid Bandar Kuching Dr Shajahan Sayeed Ahmad revealed to The Borneo Post yesterday that the trustee of the mosque namely Lembaga Amanah Kahriat has decided to construct a new mosque to replace the present one.
“Currently, the plan for a new mosque or for Masjid Bandar Kuching is in the final stage of approval and very soon we can start building from the present site,” he said.
“The mosque will have a different architecture and design and the construction should start by the end of 2013,” he added.
Dr Shajahan pointed out that the new mosque costing between RM6 to RM8 million is financed totally by the trustee and hoped to be completed by 2015 or 2016.
He said that to keep on their tradition and a strong link with India, the new mosque will still depict Indian and also the Malaysian culture.
Part of the funds for building the new mosque will be derived from rental of properties along Gambier Street which are owned by the mosque. Some of these properties will be demolished to make way for the new mosque.
However, Dr Shajahan also revealed that the new mosque is also designed for commercial purposes to accommodate the present and future business communities to ensure that the new mosque will continue to be self sustainable.
He revealed that the ground floor will be exhibition and shop lots while the first and second floor will be for prayer, religious schools and accommodation for the Iman.
Dr Shajahan anticipated that there would be between 30 to 36 shops for commercial purposes and that the present Indian Mosque Lane will be widened.
“We want to modernise the area but still keep it true to its heritage and its cultural concept. The new facelift will hopefully make the area more active, busy and lively. This new approach will also help to bring people from the business communities here as well as with other developments in the area including the new Merdeka Plaza,” he added.
“I want people from all walks of life be they visitors or tourists who come to the city to be able to admire the place especially the waterfront and yet have a spiritual place to pray,” he said.
Dr Shajahan is very pleased that the proposal that has been in the pipeline for 30 years is going to become a reality.
“I am glad that there is something new in the vicinity especially for the Indian Muslims who had come from Southern India to have a better life and who built the mosque in 1837,” he concluded.