A 300-year-old well in Masjid Jamek Batu Uban in Penang is still serving the community.
300 years since being built, water source still serving community
Known to be the oldest in Penang, a well in Masjid Jamek Batu Uban has been serving the community for almost 300 years.
Located within the compound of the mosque, the well is said to have been built by the founder of Batu Uban, Haji Mohammed Salleh or better known as Admiral Intan Nam Tunku Patis Sebatang in 1734.
According to Mohd Salleh Wan Teh, 74, who is the seventh generation descendant of Admiral Intan, the construction of the mosque started with the discovery of the underground water source.
He said Admiral Intan dug a hole and found the water that welled up was fresh and clear even though the area was beside the sea.
“It is something peculiar as the water is not salty, although it is so close to the ocean,” he said.
He added that Admiral Intan then decided to build a settlement there and asked his ship crew to build a mosque.
Mohd Salleh said that originally, the well, which was built with bricks, was open and used by all the villagers for their daily water needs and also for prayers.
But a few years ago, the management of the mosque decided to cover the well with a steel grille to prevent children from falling into it.
“When I was a little kid, many people from Thailand, Indonesia and other parts of Malaysia came to this mosque to take the water from the well.
“They believed the water had healing powers and could treat minor illnesses like fever and flu,” he added.
A water pump is now fitted to the well and the water is piped into the mosque and used by the congregation.
Mohd Salleh said the mosque was an important part in the state’s history as it tells the early history of Penang before the arrival of Captain Francis Light.
He said as such, the mosque and its surroundings must be maintained as a heritage asset.
“This is our legacy. We must protect it for our future generation,” he added.
International Islamic University Malaysia’s International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation lecturer Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Murad Merican said the existence of the well and mosque in Batu Uban was proof that there was an established Malay society in Penang before the arrival of Light.
“It shows that the Malays in Batu Uban were not only a group of fishermen as pictured by some historians but a society that had laws and regulations when it was part of Kedah,” he said.
Prof Ahmad Murad said it also showed that Batu Uban was not only a kampung or settlement but a vibrant port township.
He said the mosque in Batu Uban, which is the oldest in Penang, was part of the early narrative of Penang’s history that was often misinterpreted by the public.
“It is time for us to retell our history in the way it should be told,” he added.