KUALA LUMPUR – Jakel Group has revealed that they initially considered legal action against the management of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple, which has been occupying their land illegally for 11 years.
The group’s managing director, Datuk Seri Mohamed Faroz Mohamed Jakel, said they had been waiting for 11 years for the construction of the mosque to begin.
However, they decided against legal action after being advised by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
“We waited for 11 years and we wanted to take legal action against the temple committee, but Dr Zaliha stopped us, saying it would become a major racial issue.
“She advised me to meet directly with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Madani Mosque on Jalan Munshi Abdullah today.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the mosque’s development was officiated by the prime minister.
Additionally, Faroz said that efforts to construct the mosque on a 12,142-square-foot site began in 2009, with discussions taking place between Jakel and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
“As a result, an official offer letter was issued on August 6, 2012, followed by a 10% deposit payment on August 8, 2012. Subsequently, in 2014, a sale and purchase agreement with DBKL was signed, and the remaining balance was settled.
“In July 2019, Jakel submitted an application to the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) to build the mosque.
“Just 24 days later, on July 26, 2019, the company received approval from Jawi supporting the mosque’s construction,” he said.
He further said that in the same year, the development order (DO) application was submitted to DBKL and approved on February 12, 2020.
“On June 17, 2021, the building plan approval was obtained from DBKL. This approval has since been renewed multiple times until today,” he added.
Faroz emphasised that the Masjid Madani construction project would not have been realised without patience and consistent leadership.
“It is no secret that this endeavour faced numerous challenges. However, today, under the Prime Minister’s leadership, we see change – not just promises, but implementation.
“For 11 years, we patiently negotiated. Alhamdulillah, finally, you made it, Yang Amat Berhormat, you are the man. And for that, I extend my deepest gratitude to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“This is not just about supporting us, but about supporting the Muslim community in this area. With the establishment of this mosque, Datuk Seri will be remembered forever. Without Datuk Seri, we would not have this event,” he said. – March 27, 2025