The official opening of the King Salman Mosque is being delayed because Saudi Arabia has not given a date for the mosque's opening, Islamic Minister Ahmed Zahir has said.
Replying to a question asked by an MP in Parliament on Monday, Minister Zahir said Saudi Arabia's Islamic Ministry delegation that visited the Maldives before the COVID-19 pandemic had said that they would give a date for the opening of the Salman Mosque. However, a specific date has not yet been set, he said.
Although the Salman Mosque, located on Male' City's seaside, has not been officially opened, it is in use. The mosque was opened to the public during Ramadan last year.
The minister said the ACs installed in the mosque and the sound system installed on the mosque's minaret had been damaged due to salt in the air. He said the Islamic Ministry was made aware of the issues with the ACs in August last year, and the issue was duly resolved by the contractor on August 25.
Although the AC was repaired at the time, they broke down again in October, said the minister. All ACs were repaired earlier this month, he said.
"One of the biggest reasons for the problem of the AC in the Salman Mosque is that it is very affected by salt [in the air]. They become rusted and deteriorate," Zahir said.
