Mideast countries co-fund new mosque

SEMARANG: Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Husin Al- Munawar officiated on Friday the ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of a construction project for the building of a grand mosque in the Central Java capital of Semarang.

Built on a 7,669-square meters of land, the mosque will combine traditional and Islamic universal architectures. Its main tower will stand 99 meters tall, with an additional four secondary towers which will emulate those of Nabawi Mosque in the Saudi Arabian second holy city of Medina.

The project will be funded by the local administration, the central government and a number of Middle East country governments. The preliminary project will cost Rp 24.5 billion (US$2.7 million).

Governor Mardiyanto said the people in the province fully supported the construction of the new mosque, which is situated on Jl. Gajah Mada.

He said the mosque, aside from being a place of worship, would be a home to various religious and societal activities designed to uphold solidarity among Muslims. -- Antara