By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 21: The construction of the Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab Mosque, located within Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Agama Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab in Kuching, is expected to begin in the near future.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman), who also chairs the mosque construction committee, Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya, said the mosque’s design has been fully completed, and a five-acre site has been identified within the school grounds, adjacent to the main road and near a rapidly developing residential area.
According to him, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had earlier approved an allocation of RM10 million for the mosque’s construction, along with an additional RM13 million for the Darul Huffaz complex and an astronomy tower next to the mosque.
“We already have RM11.1 million in funding, of which RM10 million was approved by the Premier, and RM1.17 million was raised through public endowment (wakaf) for the mosque’s construction.
“For the mosque building, God willing, the first phase will commence soon, while the second phase, comprising the Darul Huffaz complex and the Astronomy Tower, will be carried out next year, God willing,” he told reporters after a courtesy visit to the Premier at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today, as reported by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).
He added that the development is part of the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration of SMK Agama Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab, scheduled for next year.
In a separate development, Juanda also shared that the courtesy visit aimed to invite the Premier to officiate the Borneo International Integrity Summit (BIIS) 2025, to be held from July 29 to 30 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
He said Sarawak will host the summit for the first time, with more than 1,000 university students and youths expected to attend from across Borneo, including Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei, Kalimantan, and representatives from the Philippines.
“God willing, through this summit, we aim to instil a culture of integrity, good governance, anti-corruption, and transparency starting at the university level.
“This is not just an ordinary seminar; it will also feature direct discussions among participants,” he explained. — DayakDaily
