JOHOR BARU: The construction of a surau at the Pandan wholesale market here, which will be funded by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, will benefit about 4,000 residents in the surrounding areas.
Johor Baru Malay Hawkers, Traders and Small Industry Entrepreneurs Association president Abdullah Md Yusof said his team expressed gratitude and appreciation as well as respect to His Majesty for the concern shown in funding the surau's construction.
He said the market has had a temporary surau since 2011 and it can accommodate about 100 congregants at a time.
"This market has about 150 traders and 250 workers, and these numbers do not include the large number of visitors as well as nearby residents who will also benefit from the construction of this new surau," he told Bernama when met at Pasar Borong Pandan here last night.
"The new surau will provide facilities for Muslims here to perform their prayers as well as religious programmes comfortably.
"Hopefully with the new surau, thanks to funding by His Majesty, it will benefit Muslims who can perform acts of worship and receive rewards in this world and the hereafter from God."
On Wednesday, Johor Mufti Datuk Yahya Ahmad was reported to have said that Sultan Ibrahim had agreed to finance the construction of the surau, similar to the design of the Kampung Mahmoodiah Mosque here.
"His Majesty has agreed to the site for the surau which is ready for land repossession by the Johor Bahru Land Office," he said.
"After this, the new surau will be built with the funding by His Majesty the Sultan of Johor thus providing comfort to the congregants," he also said. -- BERNAMA