KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg revealed the Sarawak government’s intention to beautify the Sarawak State Mosque, also known as Masjid Jamek, drawing inspiration from the architecture of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
During a forum with Sarawak Islamic Agencies (SIC) yesterday (Jan 18), he expressed the desire to construct six additional minarets, resembling the iconic towers that call the faithful to prayer in Islamic religious architecture.
“I want to add six minarets to our mosque and create a resemblance to the Prophet’s Mosque and at a reasonable cost.
“We hope that the construction of these minarets will uplift the spirit of the Muslim community for worship, to learn and spread the teachings of Islam,” he said.
He said this when delivering his keynote address during a forum with Sarawak Islamic Agencies (SIC) at Islamic Complex Hall here yesterday (Jan 18).
Abang Johari added the efforts to build the minarets is aimed at creating an environment that allows Muslims, especially in this state, to delve into religious knowledge as a step towards holistic human development as outlined in the Al-Quran.
The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, is the second holiest and largest mosque in the world.
Meanwhile, Masjid Jamek, situated in Petra Jaya, was constructed in the year 1987 and completed 1990.
It was built on a land area of approximately 100 acres, and classified as a special-grade mosque and can accommodate 10,000 worshippers at a time.
According to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia’s (JAKIM) website, the mosque is designed based on the architecture of mosques in Istanbul.
Its roof is in the shape of a square dome and is equipped with a main dome and 40 small domes.
The main dome is adorned with mosaics and tiles, while on the inside, geometric patterned latticework is placed.
The pillars supporting the small domes resemble the position of hands during prayer. In addition to that, a separate minaret is erected as a landmark.
To meet the needs of worshippers for various activities, the mosque is equipped with basic facilities such as a conference hall, library, and office space.
Earlier, the forum was held to show appreciation to the employees of SIC for their achievements throughout the year 2023, simultaneously celebrating the seven years of Sarawak under the leadership of Abang Johari.
It also provided a platform to present plans or directions and focus of the SIC for the year 2024, especially in the development of the community in Sarawak.
