SANDAKAN: Head of State Tun Musa Aman, who is also Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), hopes the UMS Sandakan Mosque will serve as a symbol of unity, reference point for knowledge and a hub for local community activities.
He said this while officiating the opening of the RM5 million mosque, located at the Education Hub, Jalan Sungai Batang, Batu 10, on Tuesday.
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Present were Sungai Manila Assemblyman Hazem Mubarak Tun Musa; Higher Education Ministry’s Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) Datuk Dr Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Sulian, representing Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir; UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor; Sabah Mufti Datuk Seri Bungsu Aziz; and Sandakan Municipal Council President Walter Kenson.
Earlier, UMS Board Chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the ground-breaking and site-officiating ceremony was performed by then Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad on Jan 2, 2022.
He said the project was the result of dedicated efforts and good governance between the Higher Education Ministry and UMS.
The aim was to ensure the education hub has a mosque capable of uniting and strengthening the bonds of brotherhood between the Government and the local residents.
Although the project, which began in 2023, faced several challenging construction phases, the strong spirit of cooperation between the Federal and State Governments enabled it to now stand proudly, with a capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 congregants at any one time.
"The construction is significant and timely, given that the State Government’s Sandakan Islamic Centre is also being built in Kampung Sungai Kayu nearby," he said.
The mosque also serves as a legacy of Musa’s vision and efforts to establish the Sandakan Education Hub at Batu 10 during his previous tenure as Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, he said UMS as been appointed as a zakat collection and distribution agent for the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis).
