Mosque committee, groups hand over memorandum against Penang LRT alignment

GEORGE TOWN, June 21 — Members of the Masjid Jamek Sungai Nibong Besar Committee and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) held a peaceful demonstration against the proposed alignment of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) that may pass over the mosque and Muslim burial grounds.

The group of about 100 held up banners demanding that the LRT alignment be shifted to another location so as not to affect the mosque and the cemetery.

They shouted for the mosque to be saved and for the state government to respect the Muslims in between of shouting Allahuakbar and Takbir.

Mohd Noor Kamarudin, the mosque committee’s treasurer, said the group wants the state to realign the LRT so that it doesn’t cross in front of the mosque.

“We don’t want it to cross right in front of the mosque, we want the state to review the alignment,” he said.

He also asked for the government to continue the construction of the mosque which was demolished last month.

The mosque was demolished to make way for a new mosque to be built on the same site.

He said construction works by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the new mosque have yet to start.

He later submitted a memorandum listing their demands with regards to the LRT alignment and construction of the mosque to a special officer of Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman‘s office.

The mosque was built back in the 1880s and is believed to be one of the oldest mosques in the state.

In 2010, the mosque’s committee decided to demolish and build a new mosque as the old mosque could no longer accommodate its growing congregation.

Earlier today, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow told a press conference that the alignment of the LRT has not been confirmed as it was not approved yet.

He said the LRT alignment is still subject to change and that stakeholders still have time to submit their feedback on it.