Pembangunan Mardliyyah Islamic Center Resmi Dimulai
Pembangunan Mardliyyah Islamic Center Resmi Dimulai
The first brick laying of Mardliyyah Mosque UGM was done on Saturday (20/7) to mark the renovation of the mosque. This mosque is planned to be the Islamic center for UGM and surrounding communities and will be named as Mardliyyah Islamic Center (MIC).
The mosque beside Sardjito General Hospital is the oldest mosque at UGM that was established in 1968. It has been the centre for learning of Islamic studies among students and communities.
Sudibyo, one committee member of the mosque renovation, said the mosque needed renovation because it can no longer accommodate the increasing number of congregation from hospital staff, family of patients, students, and surrounding communities. “Each year we have a new congregation when there is new student admission,” he said.
He explained the mosque would be expanded to the size of 4,000 m2. Later, it will serve as Islamic economic development centres. The renovation will include a guest house, food court, and parking lot.
Rector of UGM, Prof. Panut Mulyono, said MIC would also receive people of other faiths that want to use its facilities. “This place will be a symbol of interfaith tolerance for UGM, Yogyakarta, and Indonesia,” he said.
Panut hoped the brick-laying event would really start the renovation because due to circumstances, renovation in the past had not materialised. This was confirmed by UGM Chair of Board of Trustees, Pratikno. When he was rector of UGM between 2012-2014, the renovation had not happened, either, due to circumstances. But seeing the spirit of the donors at present, he was certain that the renovation would take place soon. Until now, he said, there is a sum of 101 billion in donation funds coming from state enterprises and companies. “Seeing this condition, it is estimated that the mosque will be completed in one year,” he said.
Pratikno said after the completion of the renovation, the management of the mosque would be transferred to UGM. “We provide the infrastructure, but the future programme is in the hands of the Rector and others,” he said.