TELUK MELANO: What began with an earth-breaking ceremony during the Kembara Kenali Borneo three years ago came full circle today as Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah returned to Telok Melano to officially open a mosque bearing his name.
The Masjid Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, located near Kilometre 0 of the Pan Borneo Highway, was officially opened by Al-Sultan Abdullah during his return visit to the coastal village.
His connection with the mosque dates back to September 13, 2023, when, as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he visited Telok Melano as the final destination of the Kembara Kenali Borneo.
The journey covered more than 2,100 kilometres across Sabah and Sarawak, culminating in Telok Melano where Al-Sultan Abdullah performed the earth-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new mosque for the local community near Kilometre 0 of the Pan Borneo Highway.
Three years later, the mosque has been completed on a site measuring approximately 1.2 acres at an estimated construction cost of RM8.8 million.
Designed with inspiration from the traditional mosque architecture of the Malay Archipelago and Nusantara, the mosque can accommodate about 500 worshippers.
Its location also gives it the potential to serve as a place of worship and rest for travellers and visitors making their way to Telok Melano.
The state government, through the Sarawak Islamic Council, agreed to name it Masjid Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, with the name symbolising Al-Sultan Abdullah’s historical connection with the Telok Melano community and commemorating his visit to the village.
The new mosque continues a religious institution that has been part of the community for decades, with the history of mosque construction in Kampung Telok Melano dating back to 1975.
Over the years, the mosque has served not only as a place for congregational prayers but also as a centre for Quranic and religious education, religious gatherings and community affairs.
Telok Melano itself has undergone considerable transformation over the years.
For a long time, its geographical location left residents facing connectivity challenges, with the sea serving as the main route to Sematan before road access was available.
That changed with the opening of the Pan Borneo road to Telok Melano on January 26, 2019, providing the community with a road connection to other parts of Sarawak.
Friday’s ceremony therefore marked the completion of another chapter for the village, bringing Al-Sultan Abdullah back to the place where he had set the mosque project in motion three years earlier.
