Surau in Penang offers non-Muslims shelter from floods

A viral photo showing the Taman Free School surau which took in some 60 flood victims.

GEORGE TOWN: A surau in Taman Free School gave shelter to flood victims regardless of their religious background.  

The surau took in some 60 flood victims when the water level started to rise early Sunday (Nov 5). 

Its chairman Zakaria Mydin said some 20 of them were from an old folks home nearby and the rest were residents of homes that had become flooded.

“The two-storey surau was the only place which was high enough to avoid the floods.

"I offered them help as we are all human beings. Every religion teaches us to help each other in times of need and that was what I did,” he said Monday.

A photograph of the surau with flood victims sitting inside went viral in social media with netizens praising the action.

Zakaria, however, said it was not a big deal but he hoped that people will learn from it and follow suit to help others.

He added that the victims have gone back after flood waters receded.

“There is only one family staying at the surau now.”