Kampung Bakam to have RM3 million mosque

MIRI: The Kampung Bakam mosque committee yesterday launched a concept of wakaf to speed up fund raising for the construction of the RM3 million mosque.

Lambir assemblyman Ripin Lamat who is also an advisor to the mosque construction committee said it was timely for Kampung Bakam to have a new mosque for the Muslim community from six villages in the area.

“The existing Darul Khairat mosque which was built in 1992 is unable to cater for the increasing Muslim population with more than 2,000 people in Bakam area.”

Ripin said the new mosque which could accommodate 800 people would be built on 3.4 acres of land, next to the existing Darul Khairat mosque.

He disclosed that RM100,000 had been allocated under the Rural Transformation Programme ( RTP) for earth leveling works for the new mosque project. A further RM250,000 was used to purchase some part of the land for the mosque project.

On a related subject, he said more than RM1.1 million in government grants under the RTP had been channeled to build three new chapels and repairing a church in Lambir constituency.

The grants were given during the Christmas festive season last year.

The beneficiaries were St Paul Chapel in Kuala Bakam, St Theresa Chapel in Rh Lagan Ulu Sibuti, St Aidan Chapel of Rh Duat Sungai Kelitang and Indai Maria Church in Peninjau.

Head of the state Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud launched the wakaf and officiated at the earth breaking ceremony for the new mosque at the multipurpose hall of Kampung Bakam yesterday.