Chinese Muslim Mosque a big draw
New Straits Times, 26 August 2013
Muhammadiah Mosque, also known as the Chinese Muslim Mosque, in Taman Tasek Jaya here, has become an instant tourist attraction among non-Muslims, particularly Chinese nationals, since it opened its doors four days before Hari Raya.
Mosque committee deputy chairman Datuk Dr Fadzli Cheah Abdullah said a busload of tourists from China had visited the mosque early this month after watching a documentary on the mosque aired by ntv7 and TV3.
“Since then, we have received requests from non-Muslims to visit this mosque. We welcome any non-Muslim who wants to visit the mosque, provided he or she abides by the rules set by the mosque committee,” he said at a Hari Raya gathering at the mosque yesterday.
Present were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) director Datuk Mohd Yusop Husin.
Dr Fadzli, who is also Chinese Muslim Association of Ipoh president, said visitors were required to show respect and were forbidden from making noise at the mosque compound.
He said visitors must be decently dressed and female visitors were required to wear headscarf to enter the main prayer hall.
Visiting hours are from 9am to noon and 2.30pm to 4pm daily.
According to Dr Fadzli, the RM4 million mosque, which can accommodate about 1,000 worshippers, is the first Chinese Muslim mosque in the country totally built based on Chinese architecture.
He said the architecture of another Chinese Muslim mosque, the Beijing Mosque in Rantau Panjang, was a mixture of Chinese and Siamese architectures.
“Another Chinese Muslim mosque is being built in Malacca by the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association and is about 40 per cent complete.
“The association is also planning to build another Chinese Muslim mosque in Kuala Lumpur.”
Yusop said there were 7,000 Chinese Muslims in Perak, with 1,500 of them living here.
“JAIPk is conducting Islamic religious classes twice a week for Chinese Muslims at the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association centre in Greentown here.”
Zambry announced an allocation of RM300,000 from the state government to be used for the mosque’s activities.
