My Kampung

Original site of the Malaysia's oldest mosque in Kampung Laut, Kelantan - google pix

Kampung Laut

My late granny whom I called Cik, enjoyed telling her grandcildren about her childhood life in Kampung Laut. Her memories of the kampung, incidents during the world war II and her memories of the Kampung Laut mosque (masjid), before it was relocated to Nilam Puri in 1968. I can still remember there was a painting of Masjid Kampung Laut, hanging in Cik's family hall in Palekbang. I believe she was proud of that oldest mosque which was originally built in her birthplace. (My granny and my parents moved to suburb Kampung Laut, Palekbang in 1970s). 

According to Cik, when she was a little kid in Kampung Laut, it was common to see the elephants passing the village. Hmmm, I can't imagine this :-o

Early this year, my parents had moved to Pengkalan Chepa, 5 minutes drive to the Sultan Ismail Airport. However, there are few relatives remain in Kampung Laut, which is well known for its delicious Beef 'Serunding' or we call it 'sambal daging', sort of spicy meat floss. It's commonly eaten as a side dish, best served with hot rice during 'sahur' or as filler with bread :)

Serunding Daging Kampung Laut

The view of housing areas in the villages nearby Kota Bharu and Pengkalan Chepa. (Pix in June 2011)

Pekan Palekbang, on the way to Kampung Laut. (pix June 2011)

A boat at a jetty in Kampung Laut, an alternative transportation for villagers.
Daily transporting passengers from Kampung Laut,  across the Kelantan river to Kota Bharu and vice versa.
Along the river of  Kampung Laut, there are few Batik, Dodol and Serunding home-based cottage industries.
(pix June 2011)

The history of Masjid Kampung Laut

It's believed that Masjid Kampung Laut was built by the Muslim missionaries from Jawa, whom survived the struggle in the open sea when their boat leaked and safely landed in Kampung Laut. They built the mosque as a gratitude to Allah for saving their lifes. Masjid Kampung Laut is regarded as the oldest mosque in Malaysia. Although the actual 'built - date' was not recorded, but its design shown the similarity of Masjid Damak in Jawa which was built in 1401. The mosque had survived the two 'big' floods known 'Bah Air Merah' in 1926 and in 1966. Severe damages occured in second one, where parts of the mosque were swept away by the flood. The mosque was transfered to University Malaya Islamic Academy compound in Nilam Puri in 1968. The original architecture has been retained except for the damaged parts, which was rebuilt by the Malaysian History Society.

Picture of oldest mosque, Masjid Kampung Laut from google:

The original site of the mosque in Kampung Laut, taken in 1905.

The mosque was then relocated to Nilam Puri in 1968 and handed to State Government in 1970.

The mosque in Nilam Puri

Recent pix of the Masjid Kampung Laut in Nilam Puri