PETALING JAYA: More than 270 personal items during the past decade remain unclaimed at Masjid Bandar Seri Putra in Kajang.
Among these items are branded watches, mobile phones, wallets, and glasses, some of which are worth hundreds or even thousands of ringgit.
According to the mosque’s chairman, Prof. Datuk Riza Atiq Abdullah O.K Rahmat, the initiative to store belongings left behind by visitors has been ongoing since the mosque’s establishment in 2014.
“We currently hold 250 watches, 10 wallets, seven rings, two mobile phones, two motorcycle keys and a pair of earrings.
Some watches are valued in the thousands of ringgit,“ he told Harian Metro.
“Most items are found during the holiday season in the ablution rooms and prayer areas, possibly dropped or forgotten by their owners while praying.
On regular days, items are found as well, but we usually announce them immediately,“ he was quoted as saying.
While items like gold jewellery, car keys or mobile phones are typically reclaimed within a week, some remain unclaimed for years, potentially forgotten by visitors from distant locales who are unaware of their loss at the mosque.
“In one instance, an individual from Johor left personal items at the mosque while travelling to Kedah for a vacation.
“Fortunately, they realised their loss quickly and contacted us to retrieve the items on their way back to Johor. Most claims come from people around the Klang Valley,“ he said.
To facilitate the return of these items, the mosque securely displays watches, wallets, mobile phones and glasses on a locked notice board for a designated period. Valuables such as jewellery are stored in the office, while unclaimed glasses are made available for mosque visitors to use.
In addition to mosque announcements and displays, found items are publicised on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok.
“When someone wants to claim an item, we ask for detailed information to verify their ownership, especially for valuable items like gold rings, to ensure they are returned to the rightful owner.
“My advice to anyone who has visited the mosque and believes they left something behind is to contact us immediately. We face storage limitations and are more than willing to send items by post if necessary, provided proof of ownership is given,“ he said.
