Our brief history:
Described as 'the last kampung mosque in Singapore', Masjid Petempatan Melayu Sembawang was built by the residents of Kampong Tengah, a village which occupied this corner of Sembawang until the mid-1980s. The building of the mosque was truly a community effort, with the mosque committee going door to door to canvass the needed funds. The residents from each household contribute
d what they could and some even donated a sum of 50 cents weekly (a big amount in those days!). With the collected amount of $50000, construction was about to begin, but it was just enough to buy the building materials. The kampung residents then rallied and voluntarily built the mosque without any money involved. They used their own carpenters and engineers to build the mosque into what you can see today. The building is a surviving example of traditional Malay mosque design in Singapore. Elements of this design can be seen in the prayer hall, which is supported by a central carved wooden pillar known as a tiang seri. At the entrance, there is a kentong or wooden slit-drum, which was struck as a call to prayer.
