Resort's prayer room torn down

Resort's prayer room torn down

KOTA TINGGI: The surau at the Tanjung Sutera Resort in Tanjung Sedili Besar here, which was in the news recently after it was used by non-Muslims to perform religious rituals, was demolished yesterday.

Johor Religious Executive Council chairman Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim said the surau was torn down by the resort management on its own accord.

The action came after the Kota Tinggi District Council (MPKT) issued a notice stating that the surau was built without its approval.

"I was informed that work to tear down the surau began this morning, starting with the roof before the main structure was demolished.

This was not ordered by the Johor Fatwa Council but was done according to the management's own accord," said Mutalip.

He said with the demolition of the surau, he considered the issue closed and the public should not continue to inflate or politicise it.

"For me, the issue is over. This shows that the management realises its mistake."

In a notice issued on Aug 20 and signed by MPKT president Hasrin Kamal Hashim, the resort management was given 21 days from Aug 21 to demolish the surau.

The council stated that the building of the surau contravened Section 70 of the Drains, Roads and Buildings Act 1974, as it was done without the council's approval.

MPKT secretary Mohd Hisham Said said work to demolish the surau began at 9am and was completed at 2pm.

Earlier this month, a video showing a group of non-Muslims performing a religious ritual inside the surau was uploaded onto Facebook.

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