Ahead of Kedah polls, PM gives shot in the arm for new mosque in Changlun

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today announced that the government is allocating an additional RM3.07 million to build the "Masjid Changlun" in Kedah.

He said this brings the total budget for the project to RM5.77 million, and that the project would be implemented immediately to benefit the local community.

"It must be repeated that the unity government has never neglected any state for the sake of the people.

"This is the unity government's commitment to carrying out our responsibilities by placing the people's rights as the main pillar," he added in a statement.

Details of the mosque project are unclear, and there are no news articles about it previously.

However, it appears that building a new mosque in Changlun - which is in the Bukit Kayu Hitam state seat - has been a long-standing unfulfilled campaign pledge.

A search on social media found two postings in early 2018 by netizens claiming that a mosque for Changlun had first been promised during the 2004 general election, and was allegedly promised again in 2008, 2013, and 2018 by the then BN government.

Separately, in a December 2018 posting by then Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir also promised that a new mosque would be built in Changlun.

However, it is unclear if a new mosque has ever been built since 2004.

A search on Google Maps shows that there are currently three mosques in Changlun.

The Kedah Islamic Council's website also shows that fundraising is being carried out to build another mosque in Changlun, although this appears to be a privately led initiative.

Bukit Kayu Hitam has a population of 76,577 as of 2020, according to census data, of whom 89.8 percent are bumiputera.

The seat was a former Umno stronghold before Bersatu - as part of Pakatan Harapan - captured it and the Kubang Pasu parliamentary seat which it sits in, during the 2018 polls.

Bersatu won Kubang Pasu again in last year's general election, this time as a member of Perikatan Nasional.

Harapan will be teaming up with BN to face PN in Kedah and five other states due for election in a few months’ time.

Anwar's announcement came a day after he held an open house in Kedah, which critics say is politically motivated.

The premier had also attended a political ceramah event in Kedah on Friday. - Mkini