KUALA LUMPUR: The iconic Masjid Jamek, the oldest mosque in the federal capital, is now called Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad.
The mosque, which is also a famous tourist attraction, was renamed as part of heritage conservation efforts.
Sultan Abdul Samad was the fourth Sultan of Selangor, who reigned from 1857 to 1898.
The move is also part of the much larger, ongoing River of Life (RoL) project.
The RoL project seeks to transform the Klang and Gombak rivers into vibrant waterfronts, with full completion expected in 2020.
Masjid Jamek is situated where both rivers meet.
The renaming of the mosque was announced today by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Sultan Sharafuddin, who performed Friday prayers at the mosque with a full congregation, was accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Also present was Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
Tengku Adnan said in a press statement that the mosque, now 108-years old, underwent renovation in 2012 to restore its authentic look from the olden days.
"Prayer spaces were enlarged by 4,000 square feet and the mosque can accommodate more than 1,000 people for prayer at a time.
"Giant canopies, similar to the high tech giant umbrellas installed at the Nabawī Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, were also added to offer some degree of comfort to Muslims who come to pray," he added.