Bandar Seri Begawan - A replica of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, a symbol of Brunei Darussalam`s deeply-rooted Islamic faith, is one of the 21 mosque replicas that will be featured at the Islamic Civilisation Garden at Pulau Wan Man in Terengganu, Malaysia.
The construction of the 21 replicas is expected to be completed by the middle of January next year, according to a report by Berita Harian.
An idea approved by the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the project costs around RM249.3 million.
It is now 90 per cent complete and will be ready in about three weeks time.
Apart from the country`s most famous landmark in the Sultanate, the other monuments to be featured in the garden include the Jamek Mosque Malaysia, the Kudus Minar (Indonesia), the Pattani Central Palace Mosque (Thailand), the Badshahi Mosque (Pakistan), the Kalyan Minaret (Uzbekistan) dan the Mosque of Abu Nasr Parsa (Afghanistan).
The garden is to be promoted as a world-renowned centre of attraction for international tourists and as a place of study and culture.
Constructed on a site of 22.3 hectares, the garden is expected to be officially opened by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, on February 1.
It is located on the riverside estuary of Sungai Terengganu, which can be clearly seen from the Sultan Mahmud Bridge.
Aside from the 21 replicas of world-famous mosques, an exhibition centre will also be built to display examples of art, architecture and technology from the Islamic world.
Source : www.brudirect.com (26 Desember 2007)
