KUALA TERENGGANU: Greater efforts should be undertaken to preserve popular mosques as they serve as great tourist attractions, even among non-Muslims.
Tourism and Culture Deputy Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said that if mosques were not taken care of properly, they would no longer be visited by tourists and this would result in a loss of revenue to the state and country.
She said this in reference to the iconic Crystal Mosque at Taman Tamaddun Islam, Pulau Wan Man, that was facing various issues due to poor maintenance of its structure and utilities.
Taman Tamaddun Islam officer Khalizan Mahmud reported that among the issues are 28 cracked glass windows, leakage of its waterproofing ceiling, broken washroom pipes and toilet bowls.
The state government has recently approved RM305,000 to carry out repairs at the mosque that was built in 2008.
Mas Ermieyati said that every mosque possessed its own historical, cultural and aesthetic values that were perfected with unique architecture, which could be appreciated by visitors.
“Apart from that, visitors are also able to witness the lifestyle of the local Muslim community.
“The arrival of visitors of various backgrounds and religions to the mosques has inspired many quarters to provide guided tours too,” said Mas Ermieyati after launching the ‘National Imam Roundtable – Mosque Tourism Edition’ at the Grand Puteri Hotel.
She added that online travel portal, TripAdvisor, had included four mosques as the top ten landmarks in Malaysia under its ‘Travellers’ Choice Awards 2017’.
The mosques are the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam, Selangor, in fourth place, the Putra Mosque in Putrajaya (sixth place), the Zahir Mosque in Alor Star, Kedah (seventh place) and the Selat Malacca Mosque in Melaka (ninth place).
To ensure proper coordination of mosques as tourist spots, Mas Ermieyati said her ministry had established an Islamic Tourism Centre in collaboration with the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim).
She added that mosque security committees have been liaising with police as well to ensure the safety of worshippers and visitors.
“Also, we want to encourage more non-Muslims to visit mosques and for mosques to remain neutral and fair without any political inference,” said Mas Ermieyati.
She cited the attraction of the Muhammadiah Mosque in Tasik Jaya Ipoh, Perak, the Beijing Mosque in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, and the Al-Saadah Complex in Negeri Sembilan that featured unique Chinese designs.
“These mosques are big attractions to people of all races and religions, from near and far.
“Visitors can further learn what transpires in a mosque like the muzzin, the calling of the azan and other activities,” she said.
Mas Ermieyati added that more than 30 mosques had been listed as tourist attractions in the country, including the National Mosque and Federal Territory Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, the Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, the Kota Iskandar Mosque in Nusajaya, Johor and the City Mosque in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.