SIBU: The call to prayer at dawn heard from the Al-Qadim mosque marked an important episode for Muslims here because it signified the re-opening of the more than 100 year-old mosque after being closed for five years to make way for rehabilitation work.

       Nangka Assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee, in a Facebook posting, said due to safety concerns, the mosque's management committee had decided to limit the number of congregants to only 150 people at a time, even though it is capable of accommodating about 500.

       "Welcome back to praying at Al-Qadim Mosque, the oldest mosque in Sarawak!" he said in the posting.

       Apart from being used to perform the five daily obligatory prayers, the 161-year-old mosque, which was successfully rehabilitated according to the original design, is expected to be able to pull in tourists to Sibu.

       The Al-Qadim Mosque is said to resemble the design of the Great Mosque of Demak, which is the oldest mosque in Indonesia believed to have been built in 1466, with significant similarities to the four main pillars of the mosque and its roof design.

       The rehabilitation and conservation work of the mosque which was built using belian timber was divided into two phases, where the first phase involved the roof and the external structure, while phase two covered the interior, costing a total of RM2.2mil.

       Dr Annuar, who was directly involved in the rehabilitation work, said all the structures of the mosque were built using belian hardwood and any structures previously demolished had been rebuilt including the ‘minaret’, where the azan is called from.

       "The existence of the old mosque which was gazetted as a heritage building in Sarawak in 2012 has become a symbol of pride for Muslims in Sibu, apart from being a leading tourism landmark in the central region of Sarawak,” he added. - Bernama