Funded by the Chinese and Indian communities to construct, this is the story of a mosque built with classic Chinese style of architecture, located at Kampung Machap Baru in eastern Melaka.
The Datuk Machap pavilion was built in the 33rd year of Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, its walls resonating with Chinese culture through vivid paintings of vibrant seasonal flora as well as vases. Behind the mosque, there is a marble slab titled “Nezha pavilion building inscription”, on which registered credits to those who contributed, written in Chinese characters, the 100 Chinese and Indians who donated to the cause.
During the Japanese occupation, villagers believed that Datuk Machap saved lives. Word goes that the Japanese army arrested about 20 villagers accused of communicating with the anti-Japanese army, and assembled them beneath the bridge in front of the Datuk Machap pavilion to await execution. Their anxious family members went on their knees before Datuk Machap and prayed hard for him to manifest and save them. Afterwards it was said that the army truck heading towards the execution spot broke down, the officer in charge of execution suddenly had a stomach ache, the Japanese army declared cancellation of the execution, and the arrested villagers were released on the spot. The villagers firmly believed that Datuk Machap had manifested, and therefore list the date 13th August in the lunar calendar as Datuk Machap’s annual festival.
Text: Yew Wan Ting & Pua Hui Wen
有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Music : Tenspace from Felt Music
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