MIRI: The Pujut 5 Surau here to be built with Chinese temple design also houses an Islamic Information Centre for Muslims and non-Muslims besides providing a prayer hall and a place for religious activities.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the new approach in surau building will encourage interaction among people of different religions and increase their knowledge of Islam in a more holistic way.

“This is the basic purpose of this Islamic centre and we in Sarawak have high tolerance for each other’s religion,” the Chief Minister said during the earth-breaking ceremony of Pujut 5 Surau yesterday.

Present were Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting, Kabong assemblyman Mohd Chee Kadir, Miri Malay Charitable Trust Board (LAKMM) chairman and Pujut 5 Surau building committee chairman Datuk Abdillah Abdul Rahim, and Miri Resident Mastapa Julaihi.

According to Abang Johari, the Pujut 5 Surau will highlight to people of other faiths that Islam is a global religion and not just for Malays but all races in the world.

He said the ‘Kutbah’ can be recited in other languages including English and Chinese and any local language, proving that Islam is universal.

On the other hand, the non-Muslim community here can come to the centre to know more about Islam and other related information including Islamic institutions and the Quran.

Abang Johari also said he was informed by LAKMM that the surau will have a centre for books on Islam for non-Muslims to know more about the religion.

“I wish to congratulate LAKMM for its effort to set up an Islamic centre for other races to know about Islam and this is an effort and approach that must be taken through ‘Dakwah’,” he said.

Earlier, Abang Johari said the people of Sarawak were fortunate that they could enjoy peace and harmony unlike in other places where there was no tolerance among the people and the government did not practice fairness.

He told the building committee that he would top up the cost of the surau project to ensure its completion and to cover the cost of water and electricity supply and telecommunication facilities.

Earlier, Abdillah disclosed that the building of the surau was upon the requests of nearby villagers.

He said currently the surau building committees has RM2.1 million which were received from donors.

Abdillah further said construction of the surau is expected to start at the end of this month for completion in 15 months.