KUCHING: Forty-six mosques and surau in the Tupong constituency have received a total of RM162,000 in Minor Rural Project grants to enhance their facilities and activities.
In all, 12 mosques were granted RM5,000 each while 34 surau received RM3,000 each.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, when handing out the grants at Masjid Al Quddus Taman Sri Wangi here Sunday (Mar 10), stressed that mosques act as a foundation of unity, spreading the message of Islam to bolster bonds within the community.
“Because unity is the strength of the Muslim community, neglecting to enhance our mosques could undermine this strength.
“This is where our efforts must be focused. Our jihad lies not only in distant struggles like Palestine but also in opening the eyes of our community members.
“If we can improve our own community, we can uplift our society. This is the true essence of jihad – the spirit that drives our youth committees. Strengthening unity through the Islamic teachings will solidify our bond,” he said.
He also pledged to work closely with Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman to continue allocating resources to ensure these places are active and vibrant.
He said many of the programmes here at Tupong and Petra Jaya constituencies have seen improvements, with mosques and surau being upgraded with amenities like air conditioning.
However, he identified the current challenge as optimising their use.
“Now that our mosques and surau have been beautified, our challenge lies in utilisation. It’s disappointing to see large surau sitting empty, without engagement. They become underutilised assets.
“While our funding may not be sufficient, what matters is how we manage these facilities with diverse programmes to engage the community,” he said.
Also present were Chief Political Secretary to the Premier Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman and Kuching South City Council (MBKS) deputy mayor Datuk Zaiedi Suhaili.
