Day: June 1, 2024

LENGGONG, The implicit meaning and elements of the Malay archipelago architecture at ‘Masjid Raja’ (King’s Mosque) in Kampung Chepor, here, are not only unique but also considered an invaluable heritage that must continue to be preserved for future generations.

Historian Lukhman Mahmud, 63, said that the 484-year-old historical treasure was built with the support of four golden cengal wood pillars that played an integral role in strengthening the overall structure of the mosque.

‘This mosque is influenced by Malay architecture from Pattani, Sumatra, Palembang, Riau, Minangkabau, Deli, and Langkap. Interestingly, these four golden cengal wood pillars are symbolised as Islam being represented by the four ‘madhhabs’ or sects, namely Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki, and Shafi’i.

‘Meanwhile, the ‘nasi lemak’-shaped dome at the top of these four pillars symbolises the Prophet Muhammad. This tells us that the four pillars, symbolised as the four madhhabs, are upholding Prophet Muhammad (the dome),’ he said when met by B
ernama in Kampung Chepor here.

Lukhman, a former administrative officer at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), said the original structure of the mosque was also roofed with sago palm leaves and its walls were made of woven bamboo, with its upper framework supported by various types of wood, including merbau and kemuning.

Lukhman said these types of wood were also used in other structural components such as beams, pillars, and various other accessories found in the mosque building.

“The selection of this types of wood is also very important because they do not rot easily and are not easy for termites to eat,” he said.

He said the uniqueness of the mosque also lied in its foundation, which is made from a combination of clay and volcanic ash from the Toba eruption around 75,000 years ago.

‘The volcanic ash is different from regular ash as it helps harden the clay foundation. Back then, anyone visiting the mosque would bring their own woven mats to pray on.

“Global Geopark Network (GGN) vice preside
nt Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo during his previous visit here also confirmed that the mosque’s foundation is made from Toba volcanic ash,” he said.

Discussing the history of the mosque’s construction, Lukhman said the work began in 1539 under the decree of Sultan Mudzaffar Shah I, the Sultan of Perak at the time, and took three years to complete.

‘The decree not only included the construction of this mosque but those in the entire state, including the Hulu Perak district, administered by Tun Saban and Tun Puteh, the children of Melaka Bendahara, Tun Perak.

‘As a result, the two siblings chose to build the mosque in Kampung Chepor. The construction was also aided by Tun Saban’s followers, mostly from Pattani, and the villagers,’ he said.

He said the mosque could accommodate 100 worshippers at a time, mainly consisting of residents from Kampung Chepor, Kampung Luat, Kampung Beng, Kampung Bukit Sapi, and Kampung Labit.

‘All individuals coming to pray there would be located in the north and east ver
andas, which were the main areas for worshippers at that time,’ he said.

Besides serving as a place of worship, Lukhman said the mosque also functioned as a gathering point for the community to listen to royal decrees.

‘This means the mosque acted as a central hub for residents to receive information from the Sultan.

‘It is understood that Sultan Mudzaffar frequently visited the mosque and the area to picnic and interact with the villagers,’ he said.

In a related development, he emphasised the need for continuous preservation of the mosque and urged authorities to maintain its aesthetic values.

‘We need those who wish to manage the mosque to have both authority and funding. These two aspects are crucial to ensuring its preservation and attracting visitors.

“I hope this mosque can be improved with basic facilities such as toilets, lounges in the mosque compound and the surrounding landscape given a fresher touch so that it can be seen as one of the main tourism products in the district,” he said.

Sourc
e: BERNAMA News Agency

SEREMBAN, The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has reminded traders against raising the prices of goods arbitrarily ahead of Aidiladha.

Its Deputy Minister Fuziah Salleh said more than 2,200 enforcers and 1,000 KPDN price monitoring officers will be deployed to premises daily, including retail shops and supermarkets nationwide to ensure that no traders raise prices arbitrarily.

‘We have the Price Control and Antiprofiteering Act 2011 and strict action can be taken in the event of an unreasonable price increase. During the festive season, the demand for goods is high so we hope that traders do not raise prices.

‘There is no implementation of the Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP) for Aidiladha but the enforcement is always monitoring,” she told reporters after officiating the 2024 National Representative Assembly (PPN) here today.

She said KPDN is also proactive in monitoring the supply of basic goods in the country including packet cooking oil for household needs to ensure th
ere is no leakage due to restaurants also using it.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said more than 60,000 kilogrammes of food and beverages, worth RM700,000, were salvaged in 147 Ramadan bazaars nationwide through the MySaveFood programme implemented during the Ramadan month involving 2,000 volunteers.

She said the campaign, launched by the ministry with strategic partners, namely the GEMA Malaysia Youth Organisation and Student Consumer Movement (GPS) from institutions of higher learning (IPTs) was also aimed at inculcating noble values among youths.

‘The programme also received the cooperation of every local authority and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp). We hope this programme can be expanded to the night markets in the future,’ she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

MAKKAH, The Saudi Arabian government issued a notification to all heads of haj delegations (KRH) from various countries on Thursday about strict security measures to curb visa misuse during the haj season.

Malaysian haj delegation head Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said that this notification include a reminder to the KRH not to assist in the movement or accommodation of those without a valid haj visa.

Furthermore, the KRH are also asked to report to the authorities if there are any individuals violating the haj regulations.

“The emphasis from the Saudi Arabian government to the offices of all heads of haj delegations has never been made before with such specific reminders.

“It was also noted that if this new notification is not adhered to, it will impact the haj operations of a country,” he told a weekly press conference at the TH headquarters here today.

Syed Saleh described the emphasis from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Haj and Umrah as a serious matter and a message that must be heeded by
the official haj missions of all countries.

At the same time, he mentioned that several operations have been initiated by the Saudi authorities over the past two weeks, with arrests made for those without a valid haj visa or permit.

“Vehicle inspections, including buses carrying pilgrims, are being conducted to ensure that only those with valid visas are entering Makkah. Even locals or those working in Makkah must have a valid permit to be here,” he said.

He said the authorities are also conducting inspections in hotels, mosque pathways, and certain locations to detect pilgrims without a valid haj visa.

Syed Saleh urged all haj staff and pilgrims to take this matter seriously and always comply with the directives and laws of the Saudi Arabian government.

“To the Malaysian haj pilgrims, I would like to remind you to always have your Nusuk card. Insya-Allah, TH is in the process of distributing this card to pilgrims under the 31,600 quota.

“Pilgrims must ensure that this card is well-kept to facilitate mo
vement, travel, and the performance of haj,” he added.

He also encouraged Malaysian haj pilgrims to download the Nusuk application, as it contains a digital version of the Nusuk card, which can be shown to the Saudi authorities in urgent situations.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Former Federal Court Judge Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan has been appointed as the chairman of the Protem Committee for the Asian International Arbitration Centre (Malaysia) (AIAC) Court of Arbitration.

The Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU) of the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) announced in a statement today that Lim was appointed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

Also appointed are 16 members of the committee, including Datuk Dr Prasad Sandosham Abraham (Retired Federal Court Judge) – Malaysia; Justice K.S.P. Radhakrishnan (Retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India) – India; Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus (Retired Court of Appeal Judge) – Malaysia.

Others are Datuk Mah Weng Kwai (retired Court of Appeal Judge) – Malaysia; Prof Karuiki Muigua (Senior Lecturer at Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi) – Africa; and Prof Steven P. Finizio (Legal Practitioner) – United Kingdom.

Also appointed are Juan Fernánde-Armesto
(Arbitrator) – Spain; Zeyad Khoshaim (Legal Practitioner) – Saudi Arabia; Chan Leng Sun, SC (Legal Practitioner and Arbitrator) – Singapore, and Kamilah Kasim (Legal Practitioner and Arbitrator) – Malaysia.

‘The Protem Committee comprises a chairperson and committee members of extensive experience, credibility and prominence in the field of law and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) both domestically and internationally,’ it said.

The Protem Committee will spearhead the fundamental mandate of establishing the AIAC Court, including streamlining the mechanism, protocol and operational framework of the AIAC Court for its effective functioning in the future.

This Protem Committee further assumes an important role in ensuring transparency, integrity and accountability in the decision-making process of the AIAC Court in accordance with the laws and the AIAC Rules.

It is aspired that the establishment of this Protem Committee will contribute constructively to the successful formation of the AIAC Court in tande
m with the government’s efforts in amending the relevant laws, including the Arbitration Act 2005 [Act 646] which is now being finalised and is expected to be presented in the next Parliamentary session.

‘The implementation of these new initiatives is expected to strengthen the AIAC’s standing as an independent international arbitral institution under the auspices of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) while promoting Malaysia as the preferred seat of arbitration and ADR as a whole domestically and internationally,’ the statement read.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has advised the people to cease speculation and let the police investigate the case of a disabled e-hailing driver allegedly beaten by a bodyguard of a VIP.

He said that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain has assured that an investigation will be conducted, and the public is advised not to speculate on the matter.

“Speculation will not help the investigation, and we leave it to the authorities. If at the end of the investigation, actions need to be taken, including bringing anyone to court, we will leave it to the AGC (Attorney-General’s Chambers),” he said.

He told this to reporters after officiating the Kita MADANI Carnival for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya here today.

Fahmi also reminded netizens to be cautious and to avoid touching on 3R issues (religion, race, and the royal institution) on social media, as this is also aimed at preventing the situation from worsening.

“We can express our views, but if we cr
oss the line, then other actions need to be taken by the authorities,” he said.

Yesterday, the media reported Razarudin as saying that the police would call in the individuals involved in the case to Bukit Aman to assist with the investigation soon, and that a comprehensive probe is being conducted based on the latest developments.

In another development, when asked about the issue of the appointment of the company belonging to the husband of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh as the operator of the Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) Pilot Project by the Selangor Government, Fahmi said that a thorough investigation is being carried out by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

He also reminded the public not to disseminate any information containing personal data or personally identifiable information that violates the law under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and could result in legal action.

“To netizens, if you engage in doxxing, which involves displaying and broadcasting personal infor
mation such as identification numbers, passport numbers, home addresses, and phone numbers, this is illegal.

“Do not reach that level, and there are some parties, especially among the opposition, who are trying to capitalise on the situation. For me, leave it to the authorities to investigate,” he said.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that MACC sources informed that a comprehensive investigation into the matter is being conducted following several new complaints received regarding the case of a minister’s husband appointed to provide a proof of concept for a transportation project.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency