By Shikin Louis
TELOK MELANO, Aug 21: The Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah now has a mosque bearing his name in the village he visited three years ago as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
He returned to Telok Melano today to officiate the completed Masjid Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, having officiated its groundbreaking ceremony during the Kembara Kenali Borneo royal tour on Sept 13, 2023.
The royal tour, which covered more than 2,100km across Sabah and Sarawak, ended at Telok Melano, where Sultan Abdullah, then the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, launched the construction of the new mosque near Kilometre 0 of the Pan Borneo Highway.
The mosque was built on a site measuring about 1.2 acres at an estimated cost of RM8.8 million, with capacity for about 500 worshippers.
Its design draws inspiration from traditional Malay Archipelago and Nusantara mosque architecture, reflecting Telok Melano’s historical and cultural links with communities across the region.
The mosque is also intended to serve as a place of prayer and a potential stop for travellers and visitors to Telok Melano.
In his speech, Sultan Abdullah expressed gratitude to the Sarawak government and the local community for naming the mosque after him.
“I am grateful because I have been honoured by having this house of Allah named after me,” he said.
The mosque’s name was agreed upon by the Sarawak government through the Majlis Islam Sarawak as a symbol of the Sultan’s historical connection with the Telok Melano community and to commemorate his visit to the village.
Sultan Abdullah also hoped the mosque would become a catalyst for development in the surrounding area, in line with proposed development plans for Telok Melano.
“I pray that this house of Allah will become a catalyst for development here,” he said.
He also stressed that the mosque’s importance should not be measured by its size, but by how actively it was used and its role in the community.
“I hope this mosque will always have many people coming, especially visitors who can perform their prayers,” he said.
The history of the mosque institution in Telok Melano dates back to 1975, when the first mosque was established to serve the local community.
The mosque subsequently became more than a place of worship, also serving as a centre for Quranic education, religious activities and community gatherings.
Telok Melano itself has a long history, with records linking the village to the arrival of Haji Taha and his group from Mempawah, Kalimantan, who travelled by boat before establishing a settlement there.
For decades, the coastal community faced challenges in reaching Sematan, with sea travel serving as its main connection and being affected by weather and monsoon conditions.
The opening of the Pan Borneo Highway connection to Telok Melano on Jan 26, 2019, significantly changed the situation, linking the village by road to the wider Sarawak network.
Today, the new mosque stands near Kilometre 0 of the Pan Borneo Highway, serving a community that has transitioned from a once-isolated coastal settlement to a more connected destination.
Sultan Abdullah’s return therefore marked a full circle — from launching the mosque project as Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2023 to officiating the completed mosque bearing his name three years later.
Also present were Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Sarawak Legislative Assembly Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar. — DayakDaily
