Iftar Muhibbah at historic Lebuh Acheh mosque

Apr 12, 2025

Christopher Kushi
The historic Lebuh Acheh Mosque in the Georgetown UNESCO Heritage zone hosted the annual Iftar, Buka Puasa Muhibbah gathering on March 21, bringing together faith leaders, heritage enthusiasts, civil society members, tourists, and university students in a spirit of unity. The Catholic community was represented by Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang.

In his address to the attendees, Cardinal Sebastian spoke of Fratelli Tutti, which means “We are all brothers and sisters” in Italian. He extolled the virtues of the gathering, expressing a heartfelt and profound desire for understanding, fraternity, and blessing in our society. He emphasised the importance of the gathering with the phrase, mahu kenal, mahu cinta, mahu rindu, mahu peduli, mahu berkat, which reflects a deep yearning for connection, love, longing, care, and blessings.

Senator Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa addressed those gathered at the mosque, emphasising that the purpose of the event was to spread peace, understanding, and harmony, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. He urged everyone to carry the spirit of friendship and togetherness from the iftar gathering, helping to silence the intolerance reflected in recent incidents. Prof Dato’ Seri (Dr) Anwar Fazal, a prominent international civil society advocate, delivered an insightful talk on the diversity of Penang, highlighting the rich variety in races, cultures, religions, and even the trees. Prof Dr Anwar also distributed pamphlets promoting the Taiping Peace Initiative, titled The Culture of Peace – 99 Ways to Make It Happen, which focuses on fostering inner peace, peace with others, and peace with the environment.

YB Lim Siew Khim, State EXCO for Social Development, Welfare, and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs, remarked that events like this align perfectly with Penang’s vision of promoting harmony and inclusivity. Also in attendance were Paul Au, general manager of Harmonico, and members of the Penang chapter of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism (MCCBCHST).

The Lebuh Acheh Mosque (Acheen Street Malay Mosque), built in 1808, is located at the end of Georgetown’s Street of Harmony. This historic street is home to St George’s Anglican church, the Taoist Goddess of Mercy temple, Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple, and the Kapitan Keling mosque.