Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Muslim workers and visitors in Bukit Bintang have long made do with makeshift prayer spaces in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s busiest commercial district.
Now, the government is moving to change that.
Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan announced on Sunday (24 May) that federal religious agencies are working to establish a prayer facility in the area, which will also include Friday prayers.
He named Bangunan Yayasan Selangor, next to Sungei Wang Plaza, located at what he described as Bukit Bintang’s “Shibuya intersection,” as a candidate for conversion into either a surau or a mosque.
The proposal is part of a longer-term effort.
Zulkifli said he and his team have been running outreach and welfare programmes in Bukit Bintang, Chow Kit and surrounding areas for the past two years, with a long-term vision of building a landmark mosque to serve Muslim communities in both areas.
The Agencies Behind the Plan
Four federal religious agencies are driving the effort.
MAIWP (Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan) oversees mosques, suraus and Islamic welfare in KL, and JAKIM (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia) is the country’s central Islamic affairs authority under the Prime Minister’s Department.
JAWI (Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan) administers and enforces Islamic affairs across KL, Putrajaya and Labuan, while the Federal Territory Mufti’s Office provides religious rulings and guidance for the Federal Territory.
What has drawn attention is the choice of location.
Bukit Bintang is not a residential neighbourhood.
It is a commercial corridor — besides Sungei Wang Plaza, it is also home to Lot 10, Pavilion Mall, Jalan Alor, and a dense concentration of restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues.
For Muslim workers and tourists passing through daily, a permanent, accessible prayer space would be a practical first.
Where Commerce Meets Congregation
The intersection is no stranger to religious activity, though large-scale gatherings are a more recent phenomenon — most notably the Quranic Madani event held there.
The area has long been a preferred stage for public outreach — most visibly by activist Firdaus Wong Wai Hung and his Muslim Reverts Malaysia (MRM), who have held street dakwah sessions there.
Falun Dafa practitioners have also staged roadshows at the same stretch, raising awareness of the spiritual movement’s persecution in China.
At the same time, churches in the area run community programmes — food distribution, support groups, and annual Christmas outreaches — aimed at serving people around Bukit Bintang.
@brofirdauswong Pelancong Australia ini sesat jalan di Bukit Bintang lalu terserempak dengan Street Dakwah MRM. Dia berdialog dengan Bro Firdaus sebenar lebih kurang sejam tetapi video ini diringkaskan kepada 9 minit sahaja yang penuh dengan soalan padu dari pelancong Australia ini. Nak tahu kesudahannya? Sila tonton dan anda pasti mendapat manfaatnya.. *Kami sebagai admin pun rasa best giler & banyak belajar walaupun dah tonton berulang kali.. Amalan yang paling dicintai Allah ialah yang sedikit tetapi berpanjangan. Jom, jadi penyokong dakwah MRM secara bulanan. Biar sikit tetapi berpanjangan
♬ original sound – FirdausWong
READ MORE: [Watch] Anti-CCP Groups Including Falun Gong Practitioners Rally Outside Chinese Consulate In Kuala Lumpur
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
