Budget $300,000, Power Bill $900,000
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - Mosques, suraus and religious halls in the country have run up a staggering $6 million in electricity dues, which are mainly due to the usage of air-conditioners, prompting religious authorities to once again issue guidelines to mosque officials to save power, the third such guideline in the last six years.

The guidelines include using fans for dawn (Subuh) prayer instead of air-cons, switching on only a limited number of air-cons and limiting the usage of spotlight, decorative, tower and fence lights as well as lights inside the prayer halls.

"The dues have been settled using the remaining budget of 2005-2006 period. Another $2 million dues were for departments under the Ministry of Religious Affairs," Awg Hj Ahmad Hj Mohin, Zone II officer, said yesterday during the working visit by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Pehin Dato Seri Utama Dr Ustaz Hj Awg Md Zain to the Kg Masin mosque.

"Our next effort is to make sure there won't be any more dues. Based on the annual budget allocation, $300,000 is allocated for all mosques, suraus and religious halls. However in 2003, electricity utility bill amounted to $900,000. In 2004, when the second guideline was introduced, the bill came to $910,000, while in 2005, it was $995, 000," he said.

He also said the Ministry of Religious Affairs is the first ministry to take efforts to save power.

The guidelines are meant for all mosques, suraus and religious halls with the exception of Jame Asr' mosque in Kg Kiarong, Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque in the capital and Al-Ameerah mosque in Jerudong.

The guidelines are only meant to save electricity and not to reduce religious activities that are being carried out.

For air-conditioners at main mosques and mukim mosques category, only half of the air-cons can be used daily. They must be switched on an hour before midday, afternoon and dusk prayers and switched off an hour later or when the worshippers have finished performing their prayers.

For village suraus and religious halls, only three air-cons can be used daily including one in the female prayer room. They must be switched on an hour before midday, afternoon, and dusk prayers and switched off an hour later or after worshippers have dispersed.

As for dawn prayers, the use of air-con will not be permitted and only fans can be used. On Fridays, all mosques will be allowed to use only half the number of air-cons and can only be switched on at 7.30am when Quran reading classes are held.

Meanwhile, air-cons can only be switched' on from 10.30am onwards for Friday prayers and switched off an hour later or after the worshippers have dispersed.

As for lights inside prayer halls, they must be switched off once the worshippers have finished performing the prayer and only one corner light can be used until morning.

Spotlights and decorative lights can only be switched on during national celebrations, major Islamic events and religious activities from now. Fence lamps can be used at the start of the dusk prayer and switched off at 6am the next day.

The Minister of Religious Affairs later presented prizes to the winners of the landscape beautification contest for mosques in different zones in the Brunei/Muara District.

For Zone I, the winner was Kg Masin mosque, Kg Sungai Besar mosque for Zone II and Kg Katimahar mosque for Zone III.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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