(Kuching, 16th) In view of the overcrowding at Masjid At-Taqwa Kampung Gita, the Mahmudi Small Surau (Surau Mahmudi), located on Matang Road, has submitted an application seeking approval to hold Friday prayers to meet the needs of the local community.
The surau chairman, Bolhasan Maarof, stated that Masjid At-Taqwa is the only mosque in the area with official mosque status, thus able to organize Friday prayers.
Therefore, he pointed out, many residents have to go to Masjid Darul Husni Warrahmah, located at Haji Housing/Rahmah Housing, which is farther from their homes in order to fulfill their religious obligations.
“Hence, we have submitted the application again, this time attaching a letter of support from Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Fadillah Yusof, in hopes of gaining approval to hold Friday prayers at the surau next year. We have already applied five times before.”
“During the COVID-19 period, we were temporarily allowed to hold Friday prayers here. Even with social distancing measures, the venue was still extremely crowded, overflowing even to the outside,” he said during an interview with reporters at the surau yesterday.
Thus, he emphasized the importance of obtaining approval for the surau to hold Friday prayers.
“From the perspective of the elderly and those with mobility difficulties, they are unable to travel far and need a prayer venue nearby,” he explained.
He added that Mahmudi Small Surau is in a prime location, close to the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), Medan Niaga Satok commercial center, and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman.
At the same time, the surau is equipped with ample parking facilities, which is especially convenient for elderly worshippers.
“We can see that the number of congregants attending Friday prayers is steadily increasing, so providing related facilities is very important,” he said.
He also stated that the surau can currently accommodate about 400 congregants, and if renovated or upgraded, has the potential to accommodate even more.
“However, any expansion depends on whether the site retains its status as a surau or is upgraded to a mosque,” he added.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Fadillah Yusof visited the surau to participate in the Maghrib and Isha prayers and presented a RM50,000 Minor Rural Project (MRP) check to Mahmudi Small Surau.
Bolhasan revealed that previous allocations had been fully used for internal and external renovations, including the construction of a new fence.
“There were insufficient funds left to install prayer mats, so we reflected this matter to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office. We thank the government for their concern and for providing timely assistance,” he said.
The surau chairman, Bolhasan Maarof, stated that Masjid At-Taqwa is the only mosque in the area with official mosque status, thus able to organize Friday prayers.
Therefore, he pointed out, many residents have to go to Masjid Darul Husni Warrahmah, located at Haji Housing/Rahmah Housing, which is farther from their homes in order to fulfill their religious obligations.
“During the COVID-19 period, we were temporarily allowed to hold Friday prayers here. Even with social distancing measures, the venue was still extremely crowded, overflowing even to the outside,” he said during an interview with reporters at the surau yesterday.
Thus, he emphasized the importance of obtaining approval for the surau to hold Friday prayers.
“From the perspective of the elderly and those with mobility difficulties, they are unable to travel far and need a prayer venue nearby,” he explained.
He added that Mahmudi Small Surau is in a prime location, close to the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), Medan Niaga Satok commercial center, and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman.
At the same time, the surau is equipped with ample parking facilities, which is especially convenient for elderly worshippers.
“We can see that the number of congregants attending Friday prayers is steadily increasing, so providing related facilities is very important,” he said.
He also stated that the surau can currently accommodate about 400 congregants, and if renovated or upgraded, has the potential to accommodate even more.
“However, any expansion depends on whether the site retains its status as a surau or is upgraded to a mosque,” he added.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Fadillah Yusof visited the surau to participate in the Maghrib and Isha prayers and presented a RM50,000 Minor Rural Project (MRP) check to Mahmudi Small Surau.
Bolhasan revealed that previous allocations had been fully used for internal and external renovations, including the construction of a new fence.
“There were insufficient funds left to install prayer mats, so we reflected this matter to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office. We thank the government for their concern and for providing timely assistance,” he said.